Relative peripheral refraction and its role in myopia onset in teenage students

AIM:To characterize peripheral refraction and its relationship with myopia development in a selected group of male teenage Chinese students.METHODS:This 2-year prospective cohort study randomly enrolled 85 non-myopic boys(age,14-16 y)from the Experimental Class of Air Force in China.Cycloplegic peripheral refraction was examined at 0°,±10°,and±20°along the horizontal visual field in the right eye at the baseline and 2-year follow-up.RESULTS:The incidence of myopia at the 2-year followup was 15.29%(13/85).The baseline central refraction(CR)and peripheral refraction at±10°were significantly lower in students who developed myopia than in those who did not(P<0.05).Relative peripheral refraction(RPR)did not differ between students with and without myopia(P>0.05).At the 2-year follow-up,the RPR at±10°and 20°nasal was significantly more hyperopic in the myopic group than in the non-myopic group.Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the change in CR was significantly correlated with the changes in RPR at 20°nasal,10°nasal,and 20°temporal.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that the baseline CR[odds ratio(OR):0.092,95%confidence interval(CI):0.012-0.688,P=0.020]and the baseline RPR at 10°nasal(OR:0.182,95%CI:0.042-0.799,P=0.024)were significantly correlated with incident myopia(Omnibus test,χ=10.20,P=0.006).CONCLUSION:CR change is significantly correlated with changes in RPR,and students who develop myopia have more relative peripheral hyperopia.More baseline CR and relative peripheral hyperopia at 10°nasal are protective of myopia onset.