Lifestyle and sleep-related behaviours in children with myopia.

Background: Myopia is a prevalent disease influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. This study aims to explore myopia risk factors, including the association between night-time reading habits under low illumination in children.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Argentina as part of the "Myopia Awareness Campaign" in June 2024. A total of 1,298 children aged 7-15 years were included. Data on self-reported myopia, reading habits, illumination levels, type of housing, outdoor time, and parental high myopia were collected through a 23-question Google Forms survey disseminated by ophthalmologists. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the association between these factors and self-reported myopia.

Results: The prevalence of self-reported myopia in children was 23.7%. Significant risk factors for myopia included older age (odds ratio, OR: 1.15; 95% Confidence Intervals, CI:1.08-1.23), high-intensity reading (OR: 1.69; 95% CI:1.12-2.55), parental high myopia (OR: 2.88; 95% CI:2.07-4.00), less outdoor time (OR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.97-0.999), and living in a house without a garden (OR:1.49; 95% CI:1.12-2.00). While initial unadjusted analysis suggested that reading at night in the dark was associated with myopia, the association lost significance after adjusting for age.

Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of environmental factors and lifestyle choices in myopia development. Although reading at night in the dark appeared as a potential risk factor, further research is needed to clarify its role in myopia development and progression. The existence of accessible outdoor areas may increase the time children spent outdoors helping to mitigate myopia incidence.