Refractive findings in children with astigmatic parents: the Sydney Myopia Study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the impact of parental astigmatism on astigmatic error and ocular biometric parameters in children.


METHODS
Population-based cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Six-year-old children (n = 1,741; 78.9% response) and 12-year-old children (n = 2,367; 75.3% response) underwent a comprehensive eye examination, including cycloplegic autorefraction and ocular biometry. Astigmatism was determined in parents from spectacle prescriptions, which were supplied for 468 children.


RESULTS
The prevalence of astigmatism in six-year-old children with astigmatic parents was not significantly different from that of those without astigmatic parents (6.8% vs 2.8%); corresponding rates for 12-year-old children were 9.5% and 7.8% (both P > .05). No significant differences in mean cylinder and in ocular biometric parameters were observed between children with astigmatic parents and those with no astigmatic parents.


CONCLUSIONS
Parental astigmatism was not associated with a higher prevalence of childhood astigmatism and did not seem to have a significant impact on measures of ocular biometric parameters in children.
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Sydney (Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Hospital), the Westmead Millennium Institute, and the Vision Co-operative Research Centre, Sydney, Australia.
Jenny M
JM
Ip
Annette
A
Kifley
Kathryn A
KA
Rose
Paul
P
Mitchell
D001251:Astigmatism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D006956:Hyperopia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D010290:Parents; D015995:Prevalence; D012029:Refraction, Ocular