Analysing myopia in Europe: A comprehensive meta-analysis

This meta-analysis aimed to estimate the prevalence of myopia across European populations and assess its variation by age, region, gender, cycloplegic status, and urbanization. A total of 28 cross-sectional observational studies were included, comprising 347,651 individuals aged 4 to 99 years from various European countries. Studies were selected through systematic searches in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, and assessed using the MINORS criteria. Meta-analytical methods included pooled prevalence estimates, subgroup analyses, and heterogeneity assessments. The overall prevalence of myopia in Europe was 24.88% (95% CI: 20.82-28.94; 95% PI 8.3-52.1; I²=100%), reflecting substantial heterogeneity among studies. Prevalence varied by age, ranging from 3.3% in children to 49.7% in adolescents, and by region, with higher rates in Northern (25.97%) and Southern Europe (23.58%) than in Eastern Europe (22.66%). Prevalence was similar between genders. Studies using cycloplegic refraction reported slightly lower myopia rates. Myopia prevalence was similar between urban (25.88%) and rural areas (26.96%). The prevalence of high myopia (SE ≤ -6.0 D) was 3.09% (95% CI: 2.2-3.96; 95% PI: 0.5-8.4; I²=100%). Myopia prevalence in Europe shows wide between-study variability but overall affects roughly one in four individuals, particularly adolescents and populations in certain regions. These findings underscore the influence of environmental and methodological factors and the importance of standardized diagnostic criteria. Targeted public health measures may help address the growing burden of myopia across Europe.