Increased Prevalence of Myopia in the United States Between 1971-1972 and 1999-2004

TLDR

Identifying modifiable risk factors for myopia could lead to cost‑effective interventions. The study compares US population prevalence of myopia between 1971‑1972 and 1999‑2004. Using the 1971‑1972 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and a similar diagnostic algorithm, the authors examined 1999‑2004 NHANES data to assess changes in myopia prevalence over 30 years. Myopia prevalence increased from 25.0% to 41.6% between 1971‑1972 and 1999‑2004, with larger rises among black and white individuals and across all severity levels.

Abstract

<h3>Objective</h3> To compare US population prevalence estimates for myopia in 1971-1972 and 1999-2004. <h3>Methods</h3> The 1971-1972 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey provided the earliest nationally representative estimates for US myopia prevalence; myopia was diagnosed by an algorithm using either lensometry, pinhole visual acuity, and presenting visual acuity (for presenting visual acuity ≥20/40) or retinoscopy (for presenting visual acuity ≤20/50). Using a similar method for diagnosing myopia, we examined data from the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to determine whether myopia prevalence had changed during the 30 years between the 2 surveys. <h3>Results</h3> Using the 1971-1972 method, the estimated prevalence of myopia in persons aged 12 to 54 years was significantly higher in 1999-2004 than in 1971-1972 (41.6% vs 25.0%, respectively;<i>P</i> &lt; .001). Prevalence estimates were higher in 1999-2004 than in 1971-1972 for black individuals (33.5% vs 13.0%, respectively;<i>P</i> &lt; .001) and white individuals (43.0% vs 26.3%, respectively;<i>P</i> &lt; .001) and for all levels of myopia severity (&gt;−2.0 diopters [D]: 17.5% vs 13.4%, respectively [<i>P</i> &lt; .001]; ≤−2.0 to &gt;−7.9 D: 22.4% vs 11.4%, respectively [<i>P</i> &lt; .001]; ≤−7.9 D: 1.6% vs 0.2%, respectively [<i>P</i> &lt; .001]). <h3>Conclusions</h3> When using similar methods for each period, the prevalence of myopia in the United States appears to be substantially higher in 1999-2004 than 30 years earlier. Identifying modifiable risk factors for myopia could lead to the development of cost-effective interventional strategies.