title: Factors associated with high myopia after 7 years of follow-up in the Correction of Myopia Evaluation Trial (COMET) Cohort.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate factors associated with the development of high myopia (worse than -6.00 D) over 7 years of follow-up in the COMET cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  COMET enrolled 469 ethnically diverse children (6-11 years) with myopia between -1.25 and -4.50 D. They were randomized to either progressive addition lenses (PALs) or single vision lenses (SVLs), and followed for 5 years in their original lens assignment and 2 additional years wearing either spectacles (PALs or SVLs) or contact lenses. Refractive error was measured annually by cycloplegic autorefraction and axial length by A-Scan ultrasonography. Myopia for each child was defined as the mean spherical equivalent refractive error (SER) of the 2 eyes. Analyses were based on 7 years of follow-up. Time to high myopia was analyzed by Cox proportional hazard models and linear regression. Parental refraction data were available from 240 COMET subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Younger (6-7 years) versus older (11 years) age at baseline was a significant risk factor (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 6.6, 95% CI = 3.4, 12.7) for having high myopia within 7 years. More (SER from -2.26 to -4.50 D) vs. less (SER from -1.25 to -2.25 D) baseline myopia was also a significant risk factor for high myopia at 7 years (adjusted HR = 7.4, 95% CI = 4.4, 12.4). Gender, ethnicity, and treatment assignment were not associated with the risk of high myopia within 7 years. Increased number of myopic parents was associated with a significant risk of high myopia in the children (p = 0.008).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children who developed high myopia during 7 years of follow-up were younger and had more myopia at baseline. They also were more likely to have two myopic parents. These children may be at greater risk for sight-threatening conditions later in life.
authors: New England College of Optometry, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. gwiazdaj@neco.edu
authors: Jane
authors: J
authors: Gwiazda
authors: Leslie
authors: L
authors: Hyman
authors: Li Ming
authors: LM
authors: Dong
authors: Don
authors: D
authors: Everett
authors: Tom
authors: T
authors: Norton
authors: Dan
authors: D
authors: Kurtz
authors: Ruth
authors: R
authors: Manny
authors: Wendy
authors: W
authors: Marsh-Tootle
authors: Mitch
authors: M
authors: Scheiman
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D018450:Disease Progression; D005139:Eyeglasses; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D047728:Myopia, Degenerative / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors