| Myopia and Risk Factors in South Korean Population: Review of the Epidemiologic Studies in Korea |
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Seung-Hee Baek |
Department of Ophthalmology, Kim’s Eye Hospital1, Seoul, Korea
Myung-Gok Eye Research Institute, Konyang University College of Medicine2, Seoul, Korea |
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Received: 9 March 2017 • Revised: 16 March 2017 • Accepted: 16 March 2017 |
| Abstract |
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Myopia is the most common refractive error throughout the world and the prevalence of myopia demonstrates regional and ethnic differences. Numerous studies have reported the association of myopia with risk factors including young age, urban residence, high educational level of subjects or of their parents, or high income. However, association of one specific risk factor with myopia is not always consistent in published studies and multivariate analyses report different associations according to the variables that were included. The Korean Ophthalmological Society has participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) since July 2008 and has conducted nationwide epidemiological survey. The epidemiology of refractive errors in Korean population from KNHANES 2008-2012 was reported on behalf of the Epidemiologic Survey Committee of the Korean Ophthalmological Society recently. The nationwide prevalence of myopia from the KNHANES data demonstrated biphasic distribution by age; Myopia prevalence in Korean population increased as age increased from childhood to young adulthood with the highest prevalence in adolescents and young adults aged between 12 and 29 years. The prevalence then showed decreasing pattern as age increased in adult age groups with the exception of a small increase in the oldest age group of 70 years or older. Studies based on KNHANES data demonstrated various associations of myopia with urban residence, female gender, education, and other risk factors in various age groups. Risk factors of myopia in the Korean population are discussed with possible differential association of myopia with certain risk factors in different age groups. |
| Key Words:
Epidemiology; Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES); Myopia; Prevalence; Risk factors |
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