Risk factors in pediatric myopic patients

Abstract

Objective: Evaluate the association between risk factors in pediatric myopic patients. Methods: A case-control study was conducted to evaluate the risk factors associated to myopia in patients attending the Pediatric Ophthalmology Service at Ramón Pando Ferrer Cuban Institute of Ophthalmology. The sample was 263 patients (123 cases and 140 controls) who met the inclusion criteria. The study variables were age, sex, skin color, place of residence, low birth weight, prematurity, smoking mothers, a family history of refractive defects, screen time, sun exposure hours and axial length. Results: A correlation was found between a family history of refractive defects and the presence of myopia (p = 0.009), as well as a 1.9 risk of developing the disorder. More than two screen hours were associated to myopic patients (p = 0.003), doubling the risk. More than two sun exposure hours were more frequent among controls (p = 0.004) and constitute a protection factor. Axial lengths were greater among myopics (p = 0.000). Exposure and screen time were correlated with greater axial length. Conclusions: A family history of refractive defects increases the risk for myopia 1.9 times, exposure to screens for more than two hours per day doubles it, and the same number of sun exposure hours reduces it to half. Axial length is greater among myopics and screen exposed people. Key words: Risk factors; screen hours; sun exposure.