Myopia in teenagers. An eight-year follow-up study on myopia progression and risk factors

A prospective 2-year study on myopia progression was commenced in 1984/85, with special attention to the rate of progression in a representative group of school children aged 9 to 12 years. A follow-up investigation of this group of myopic persons (now aged 17-20 years) was performed after 8 years, in order to describe the refractive error and possible risk factors for myopia progression over the period. The refractive error increased from -2.77 D to -5.14 D (mean values).

age at début, degree of myopia, intraocular pressure, changes at the fundus, status of phoria, nearpoint of convergence and accommodation were all measured at the start and related to the refractive error measured 8 years later. No single parameter, apart from age at début, indicated that the individual would reach a high degree of myopia. The refractive error among the children with a début below 7 years of age was -6.60 D, but only -3.72 D among those with a début after 10 years. The change in refractive error over the 8-year period was not statistically related to the age at début, neither did the rate of progression depend on the degree of myopia, the changes at the fundus, nor the intraocular pressure. However, children could be found who had a high rate of progression, by using a combination of these parameters.