An analysis of 24 studies suggests that individuals with myopia have an approximately doubled risk of developing open-angle glaucoma (OAG) compared to those without myopia.
Led by Dr Ahnul Ha, Seoul National University College of Medicine, the records of 514,265 individuals, researchers concluded that for each diopter increase in myopia, the risk of glaucoma increases by approximately 20%. The risk increases more steeply in high-degree myopia, representing a significant nonlinear relationship, and no significant differences were found between Asians and Westerners, they wrote.
A separate study led by Dr Ya Xing Wang, Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, China, observed 2,695 initially glaucoma-free Chinese participants aged 40+ years over 10 years. Researchers say they found high myopia increased the risk of OAG development 7.3-fold compared with emmetropic eyes. Higher age, intraocular pressure, vertical cup-to-disc ratio and thinner central corneal thickness were also related with increased OAG incidence.
