Given the alarming rise in myopia, quantifying its severity and prevalence among children across different age groups is crucial for developing eyecare strategies and public health initiatives directed at lessening the impact of this common condition.
To understand the degree of myopia during phases of childhood as seen in a typical eyecare practice, we reviewed a sample within the GPN database that consisted of more than 280,000 patient records of children with myopia, all under age 20, who were cared for at more than 1,900 practices spread across the U.S. during 2023. Based on the average spherical equivalent of both eyes for each child, we categorized their myopia into two severity levels: low/moderate (greater, or less minus spherical equivalent, than or equal to -6 diopters) and high (less, or more minus, than -6 diopters). They were also grouped by age into five-year bins: under age 5, 5 to 9, 10 to 14, and 15 to 19.
In the youngest age bracket (<5 years old), myopia prevalence is relatively low, with only 1.41% of all myopic children falling into the low/moderate myopia and a mere 0.07% exhibiting high myopia at this early age. This is expected, as myopia typically develops and progresses during childhood and adolescence. However, it’s noteworthy that even at this early age, a small percentage of children already show signs of myopia.
As children progress into the 5-to-9 age group, there’s a substantial increase in myopia prevalence. Here, the numbers jump to accounting for 16.73% of all childhood myopia in the low/moderate myopia group and 0.32% in the 5-to-9 high myopia group. This sharp rise suggests that myopia begins to manifest and progress significantly during these formative years, likely influenced by factors such as increased near-work activities and reduced time spent outdoors.
The trend continues to escalate in the 10-to-14 age bracket, with myopia prevalence soaring to account for 35.69% of all childhood myopia appearing as low/moderate in 10-to-14-year-olds, and 1.20% of all myopic kids are in the 10-to-14-year-old group with high myopia. This age range coincides with a crucial period of eye development, where genetic predispositions and environmental factors play a significant role in shaping visual health. The prevalence rates here highlight the importance of early detection and intervention to mitigate the progression of myopia.
By the time children reach the 15-to-19 age group, myopia prevalence reaches its peak, with 42.29% experiencing low/moderate myopia and 2.33% exhibiting high myopia. Adolescence is a critical phase where myopia may stabilize, or for those with a genetic predisposition or significant environmental influences, the condition may continue to worsen.
This data underscores the concerning trend of increasing myopia prevalence with age among children. This emphasizes the need for proactive measures including practicing myopia management with the many contact lens, pharmaceutical, and spectacle options (coming soon to the U.S.) available, as well as educating our patients and their parents on proper visual habits to address this growing public health issue. Click here to learn more. —Ron Krefman, O.D.
