Incidence and Risk Factors of Refractive Error in Children in Spain: CISViT Project

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric Ophthalmology
• Public Health

Background:

• Refractive errors (RE), especially myopia, are rising globally with geographic variations.
• Increased myopia incidence poses a significant public health challenge, particularly in school-aged populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of refractive errors in a northeastern Spanish school-based cohort.
• To identify risk factors associated with refractive error progression and myopia development.

Main Methods:

• Prospective longitudinal cohort study of 1189 children (mean age 8.74 years) over ~1 year.
• Refractive error measured via autorefractometry and retinoscopy; risk factors assessed through questionnaires.
• Multivariable logistic regression used to analyze associations between risk factors and myopic shift.

Main Results:

• Myopia prevalence increased from 12.3% to 17.1% over the study period.
• Cumulative incidence of myopia was 5.4% (56 incident cases).
• Significant associations found between clinically significant myopic shift and parental myopia, reduced outdoor time, and parental unemployment.

Conclusions:

• A significant incidence of myopia and progression of refractive error was observed in the cohort over one year.
• Parental myopia, lower outdoor exposure, and parental unemployment are key risk factors for myopic shift in children.
• Findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to mitigate myopia progression in school-aged populations.