Myopia Progression in Pediatric Patients

Abstract

Objective: To determine the progression of myopia in pediatric patients.

Methods: A descriptive, longitudinal, ambispective study was performed with 117 patients to determine the refractive changes that justify myopia progression, in the period between March 2021 and December 2022. The sample consisted of 117 myopic patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study variables were age, sex, area of origin, family history of refractive error, spherical equivalent with its variation, hours of exposure to screens and sunlight, axial length and keratometry.

Results: Myopia progressed to >0.5 D in the years studied, equal progression by age groups and sexes with p < 0.05 for both. Patients from urban areas, with and without family history of refractive defect had significant myopic progression p < 0.005. Exposure for more than 3 h screens and less than 1 h to sunlight presented myopia progression equal to 0.94 D, with increase in axial length and keratometry not being significant and significant for patients with family history of refractive defects p < 0.000.

Conclusions: Myopia progresses over the years, behaves equally regarding sexes and in patients from urban areas. School patients with a history of refractive error, the use of more than 3 h screens and less than one hour of sunlight show an increase in myopia, axial length and keratometry.