Lifestyle Factors in Myopic Spanish Children

Childhood myopia represents a global concern with increasing prevalence in recent decades. Lifestyle factors significantly impact myopia. To evaluate lifestyle factors in myopic children from a metropolitan area in Europe. This was a descriptive study including myopic subjects aged 4-18 years. Patient demographic and clinical data were collected, including cycloplegic refraction in spherical equivalent refraction (SER) and axial length (AL). In addition, a questionnaire on lifestyle factors was conducted between September 2022 and April 2023. A total of 321 myopic children were included, aged 10.72 ± 3.05 years, of whom 51.4% were boys, with SER -2.25 ± 1.9 D and AL 24.54 ± 0.98 mm. The mean age of myopia onset was 7.69 ± 3.05 years. A total of 59.8% had family history of myopia. Those children who had 2 h/day, SER: -2.50 ±1.88 D ( = 0.009). Children who spent 2 h/day (SER: -1.75 ± 1.83 vs. SER: -2.75 ± 1.82, respectively, = 0.03). However, no significant association was observed between SER and AL and time spent outdoors nor between SER and AL and academic performance ( > 0.05). Screen time and near-work time appear to be lifestyle factors related to myopia.