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Reading time not related to myopia progression in study of children in Singapore
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A parental history of myopia was related to myopia progression in a study of children in Singapore, but reading time per week was not, researchers found.
The 3-year change in axial length in children aged 7 to 9 years in the study was high and was greater in young children, females, and those whose parents had a history of myopia, said Seang-Mei Saw, MD, and colleagues at the National University of Singapore.
Dr. Saw and coworkers assessed 543 children between the ages of 7 and 9 who were enrolled in the Singapore Cohort Study of the Risk Factors for Myopia and who had been followed for at least 3 years.
The 3-year increase in axial length was 0.89 mm; in anterior chamber depth, –0.02 mm; in lens thickness, –0.01 mm; in vitreous chamber depth, 0.92 mm; and in corneal curvature, 0.01 mm. Younger children, females and those whose parents had a history of myopia were more likely to have greater increase in axial length. Children with faster rates of progression of myopia had greater increases in axial length and vitreous chamber depth. Children who read more were not more likely to have greater changes in biometry parameters, the researchers said.
The study is published in the November issue of British Journal of Ophthalmology.