Myopia onset in young children linked with high myopia risk in adulthood

The risk of high myopia is higher in children with myopia onset during early childhood, according to a study in JAMA Ophthalmology. For each year onset is delayed, the chance of developing high myopia in adulthood is substantially reduced.

In this ongoing, population-based prospective cohort study of twins, 443 eligible participants who developed myopia in childhood, 54 (12.2%) developed high myopia as adults.

Patients who developed myopia at 7 or 8 years old, 53.9% developed high myopia in adulthood. With onset at 9, 10, 11, and 12 years of age, 32.4%, 19.4%, 14.1%, and 1.3% developed high myopia as adults.
The authors concluded that “the risk of developing high myopia in adulthood decreased significantly with delay in the age at myopia onset, from greater than 50% for 7 or 8 years of age to approximately 30% for 9 years of age and 20% for 10 years of age.”

Reference
Hu Y, Ding X, Guo X, Chen Y, Zhang J, He M. Association of Age at Myopia Onset With Risk of High Myopia in Adulthood in a 12-Year Follow-up of a Chinese Cohort. JAMA Ophthalmol. Published online September 17, 2020. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2020.3451