Nearwork in early-onset myopia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship of nearwork and myopia in young elementary school-age children in Singapore.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study of 1005 school children aged 7 to 9 years was conducted in two schools in Singapore. Cycloplegic autorefraction, keratometry, and biometry measurements were performed. In addition, the parents completed a detailed questionnaire on nearwork activity (books read per week, reading in hours per day and diopter hours [addition of three times reading, two times computer use, and two times video games use in hours per day]). Other risk factors, such as parental myopia, socioeconomic status, and light exposure history, were assessed.


RESULTS
In addition to socioeconomic factors, several nearwork indices were associated with myopia in these young children. The multivariate adjusted odds ratio of higher myopia (at least -3.0 D) for children who read more than two books per week was 3.05 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.80-5.18). However, the odds ratios of higher myopia for children who read more than 2 hours per day or with more than 8 diopter hours (1.50; 95% CI, 0.87-2.55 and 1.04; 95% CI, 0.61-1.78, respectively) were not significant, after controlling for several factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Children aged 7 to 9 years with a greater current reading exposure were more likely to be myopic. This association of reading and myopia in a young age cohort was greater than the strength of the reading association generally found in older myopic subjects. Whether these results identify an association of early-onset myopia with nearwork activity or other potentially confounding factors is discussed.
Saw
Seang-Mei
SM
Department of Community, Occupational and Family Medicine, National University of Singapore, Republic of Singapore. cofsawsm@nus.edu.sg
Chua
Wei-Han
WH
Hong
Ching-Ye
CY
Wu
Hui-Min
HM
Chan
Wai-Ying
WY
Chia
Kee-Seng
KS
Stone
Richard A
RA
Tan
Donald
D
D017677:Age Distribution; D001699:Biometry; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011932:Reading; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology