Purpose: To study retrospectively the frequency of myopia progression and risk factors for progression in a sample of adult contact lens wearers.
Methods: From a database of 815 soft contact lens wearers, patients were identified whose age was between 20 and 40 years, who had at least -0.50 D spherical equivalent of myopia in both eyes, three or more refractions, and > or =5 years of follow-up. Only data from the right eye were used. Progression was defined as an increase of at least -1.00 D over 5 years. Subjects were also asked to complete a questionnaire regarding their ocular history, demographics, family history, and the amount of time spent performing different tasks at home and at work.
Results: Two hundred ninety-one subjects met the eligibility criteria with a mean baseline refractive error of -3.29 +/- 1.92 D and a mean age of 28.5 +/- 5.0 years. Of these, 21.3% progressed by at least -1.00 D over the 5-year period. The 5-year rate of progression decreased with increasing age (chi(2) = 12.44, P = 0.006). One hundred ninety-seven subjects (67.6%) completed and returned questionnaires. "Progressors" (N = 41) did not differ from "nonprogressors" (N = 156) in terms of hours per day spent reading and writing, computer use, education level, family history of myopia, age of onset of myopia, and contact lens wear.
Conclusions: In this database of soft contact lens wearers, myopia progression was common for subjects in their twenties and less common for those in their thirties.