The prevalence rates of refractive errors among children, adolescents, and adults in Germany

Abstract

PurposeThe prevalence rates of myopia vary between 5% in Australian Aborigines to 84% in Hong Kong and Taiwan, 30% in Norwegian adults, and 49.5% in Swedish schoolchildren. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of refractive errors in German children, adolescents, and adults.MethodsThe parents (aged 24–65 years) and their children (516 subjects aged 2–35 years) were asked to fill out a questionnaire about their refractive error and spectacle use. Emmetropia was defined as refractive status between +0.25D and −0.25D. Myopia was characterized as ≤−0.5D and hyperopia as ≥+0.5D. All information concerning refractive error were controlled by asking their opticians.ResultsThe prevalence rates of myopia differed significantly between all investigated age groups: it was 0% in children aged 2–6 years, 5.5% in children aged 7–11 years, 21.0% in adolescents (aged 12–17 years) and 41.3% in adults aged 18–35 years (Pearson’s Chi-square, p = 0.000). Furthermore, 9.8% of children aged 2–6 years were hyperopic, 6.4% of children aged 7–11 years, 3.7% of adolescents, and 2.9% of adults (p = 0.380). The prevalence of myopia in females (23.6%) was significantly higher than in males (14.6%, p = 0.018). The difference between the self-reported and the refractive error reported by their opticians was very small and was not significant (p = 0.850).ConclusionIn Germany, the prevalence of myopia seems to be somewhat lower than in Asia and Europe. There are few comparable studies concerning the prevalence rates of hyperopia.

Childhood ethnic differences in ametropia and ocular biometry: the Aston Eye Study

“…A refractive error of ≤ −1.50 DS was used to define those ‘likely to be myopic’, with a prevalence of 1.5% in 7‐year‐old white European children. Collectively these findings provide strong evidence that (1) prevalence levels of myopia are markedly higher in older compared to younger British children, in agreement with observations in other European ancestry populations 23–25 , (2) that there are broadly similar levels of myopia in European ancestry children throughout the UK, comparable to levels observed in other white European populations of a similar age 26–28 . However there are differences to children of European ancestry in other parts of the world.…”

High prevalence of refractive errors in a rural population: ‘Nooravaran Salamat’ Mobile Eye Clinic experience

“…Based on our findings, myopia was more common in women, and hyperopia was more common in men. This finding is in contrast with previous studies; although some studies have reported higher rates of myopia in women, most studies show that there are higher prevalence rate of myopia in men and hyperopia in women . Because of intergender differences in biometrics, especially elongated axial length in men, we expected a lower rate of myopia in women than men, but we observed the opposite .…”

Prevalence and causes of registered blindness in the largest federal state of Germany

“…Recent studies have found a myopia prevalence of about 40% in adults in Germany 26. This is much lower than what has been reported for Asian populations 27–29.…”