TY - JOUR

T1 - Low physical activity and higher use of screen devices are associated with myopia at the age of 16-17 years in the CCC2000 Eye Study

AU - Hansen, Mathias Hvidtfelt

AU - Laigaard, Poul Pedersen

AU - Olsen, Else Marie

AU - Skovgaard, Anne Mette

AU - Larsen, Michael

AU - Kessel, Line

AU - Munch, Inger Christine

N1 - © 2019 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PY - 2020/5

Y1 - 2020/5

N2 - PURPOSE: To determine the myopia prevalence in a Danish cohort aged 16-17 years and its relation to physical activity and use of screen-based electronic devices.METHODS: The Copenhagen Child Cohort 2000 Eye Study is a prospective, population-based, observational study. Information about use of screen devices and physical activity was obtained using questionnaires. Myopia was defined as non-cycloplegic subjective spherical equivalent refraction ≤-0.50 D in right eye.RESULTS: We included 1443 participants (45% boys) with a median age (±IQR) of 16.6 years (±0.3). The prevalence of myopia was 25% (CI95% 23-28, n = 360) with no differences between sexes (p = 0.10). The odds ratio (OR) for myopia was 0.57 (CI95% 0.42-0.76, p = 0.0002) in participants physically active 3-6 hr/week (n = 502) and 0.56 (CI95% 0.42-0.76, p = 0.0002) if active >6 hr/week (n = 506), both compared with participants physically active <3 hr/week (n = 396). The use of screen devices >6 hr/day was associated with increased OR for myopia compared with screen device use <2 hr/day in both weekdays (OR = 1.95, CI95% 1.16-3.30, p = 0.012) and weekends (OR = 2.10, CI95% 1.17-3.77, p = 0.013).CONCLUSION: In this cohort of healthy 16-17-year olds, lower physical activity and more use of screen devices contributed significantly to the observed 25% prevalence of myopia with a roughly doubled risk of having myopia if physically active <3 hr/week or if using screen devices >6 hr/day. Our results support physical activity being a protective factor and near work a risk factor for myopia in adolescents.

AB - PURPOSE: To determine the myopia prevalence in a Danish cohort aged 16-17 years and its relation to physical activity and use of screen-based electronic devices.METHODS: The Copenhagen Child Cohort 2000 Eye Study is a prospective, population-based, observational study. Information about use of screen devices and physical activity was obtained using questionnaires. Myopia was defined as non-cycloplegic subjective spherical equivalent refraction ≤-0.50 D in right eye.RESULTS: We included 1443 participants (45% boys) with a median age (±IQR) of 16.6 years (±0.3). The prevalence of myopia was 25% (CI95% 23-28, n = 360) with no differences between sexes (p = 0.10). The odds ratio (OR) for myopia was 0.57 (CI95% 0.42-0.76, p = 0.0002) in participants physically active 3-6 hr/week (n = 502) and 0.56 (CI95% 0.42-0.76, p = 0.0002) if active >6 hr/week (n = 506), both compared with participants physically active <3 hr/week (n = 396). The use of screen devices >6 hr/day was associated with increased OR for myopia compared with screen device use <2 hr/day in both weekdays (OR = 1.95, CI95% 1.16-3.30, p = 0.012) and weekends (OR = 2.10, CI95% 1.17-3.77, p = 0.013).CONCLUSION: In this cohort of healthy 16-17-year olds, lower physical activity and more use of screen devices contributed significantly to the observed 25% prevalence of myopia with a roughly doubled risk of having myopia if physically active <3 hr/week or if using screen devices >6 hr/day. Our results support physical activity being a protective factor and near work a risk factor for myopia in adolescents.

KW - adolescents

KW - cohort study

KW - exercise

KW - mobile devices

KW - myopia prevalence

KW - near-sightedness

KW - physical activity

KW - smartphones

KW - tablets

U2 - 10.1111/aos.14242

DO - 10.1111/aos.14242

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 31502414

VL - 98

SP - 315

EP - 321

JO - Acta Ophthalmologica

JF - Acta Ophthalmologica

SN - 1755-375X

IS - 3

ER -