Myopia is associated with lower vitamin D status in young adults

Seyhan Yazar; Alex W Hewitt; Lucinda J Black; Charlotte M McKnight; Jenny A Mountain; Justin C Sherwin; Wendy H Oddy; Minas T Coroneo; Robyn M Lucas; David A Mackey

doi:10.1167/iovs.14-14589

Myopia is associated with lower vitamin D status in young adults

Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2014 Jun 26;55(7):4552-9. doi: 10.1167/iovs.14-14589.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Ophthalmology and Vision Science, University of Western Australia and the Lions Eye Institute, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
² Centre for Ophthalmology and Vision Science, University of Western Australia and the Lions Eye Institute, Perth, Western Australia, Australia Centre for Eye Research Australia, Melbourne University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
³ Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
⁴ Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
⁵ Department of Ophthalmology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
⁶ Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.

PMID: 24970253
DOI: 10.1167/iovs.14-14589

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the association between serum vitamin D levels and myopia in young adults.

Methods: A total of 946 individuals participating in the 20-year follow-up of the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study were included in this study. Ethnicity, parental myopia, and education status were ascertained by self-reported questionnaire. A comprehensive ophthalmic examination was performed, including postcycloplegic autorefraction and conjunctival UV autofluorescence photography. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ (25(OH)D₃) concentrations were determined using mass spectrometry. The association between serum 25(OH)D₃ concentrations and prevalent myopia was determined using multivariable logistic regression. Myopia was defined as mean spherical equivalent ≤ -0.5 diopters.

Results: Of the 946 participants, 221 (23.4%) had myopia (n = 725 nonmyopic). Myopic subjects had lower serum 25(OH)D₃ concentrations compared to nonmyopic participants (median 67.6 vs. 72.5 nmol, P = 0.003). In univariable analysis, lower serum 25(OH)D₃ concentration was associated with higher risk of having myopia (odds ratio [OR] for <50 vs. ≥50 nmol/L: 2.63; confidence interval [95% CI] 1.71-4.05; P < 0.001). This association persisted after adjustment for potential confounders, including age, sex, ethnicity, parental myopia, education status, and ocular sun-exposure biomarker score (adjusted OR 2.07; 95% CI 1.29-3.32; P = 0.002).

Conclusions: Myopic participants had significantly lower 25(OH)D₃ concentrations. The prevalence of myopia was significantly higher in individuals with vitamin D deficiency compared to the individuals with sufficient levels. Longitudinal studies are warranted to investigate whether higher serum 25(OH)D₃ concentration is protective against myopia or whether it is acting as a proxy for some other biologically effective consequence of sun exposure.

Keywords: Raine Study,; myopia,; ocular sun exposure; vitamin D,; young adults.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Calcifediol / blood*
Calcifediol / deficiency*
Chromatography, Liquid
Environmental Exposure
Female
Humans
Male
Mass Spectrometry
Myopia / blood
Myopia / epidemiology*
Prevalence
Refraction, Ocular / physiology
Sunlight
Surveys and Questionnaires
Vitamin D Deficiency / blood
Vitamin D Deficiency / epidemiology*
Vitamins / blood*
Young Adult

Substances

Vitamins
Calcifediol