Chen, Xiu Nian, Zhang, Xiu Juan, Zhang, Yuzhou, Tang, Fangyao, Kam, Ka Wai, Ng, Mandy P. H., Ip, Patrick, Wong, Ian C. K., Zhang, Wei, Young, Alvin L., Tham, Clement C., Pang, Chi Pui, Chen, Li Jia and Yam, Jason C. (2025). Association of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder With Myopia Among School Children. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 66 (9),
Abstract
Purpose: To determine the relationship of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with myopia among school children. Methods: Children aged six to eight years in Hong Kong were recruited through a stratified, clustered randomized sampling frame and subsequently invited to undergo cycloplegic autorefraction and axial length measurements between 2016 and 2021. ADHD diagnoses were made by qualified physicians according to ICD-10 criteria. ADHD symptoms were assessed using the Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD-symptoms and Normal-behaviors Questionnaire. Results: Totally 474 children with ADHD and 9950 control children were included. The age- and sex-adjusted myopia prevalence was lower in ADHD group (21%) versus controls (26%; P = 0.02). Multivariable regression analysis showed less myopia (odds ratio [OR] = 0.75; P = 0.03), higher spherical equivalent refraction (SER) (β = 0.13; P = 0.04), and shorter axial length (AL) (β = −0.07; P = 0.03) in children with ADHD. Specifically, ADHD with oral methylphenidate (MPH) treatment had less myopia (OR = 0.61, P = 0.04), higher SER (β = 0.36; P < 0.001) and shorter AL (β = −0.25; P < 0.001) compared to controls. Each additional month of MPH treatment was associated with a higher SER (β = 0.02; P = 0.01) and shorter AL (β = −0.01; P = 0.01). For each one-point increase in attention-deficit scores, children were found to be less myopic (OR = 0.88, P = 0.01), having higher SER (β = 0.07; P = 0.003) and shorter AL (β = −0.04; P = 0.001). The prevalence of myopia among ADHD increased to 32% during COVID-19 pandemic compared with 23% before COVID-19 pandemic (P = 0.04). Conclusions: This cross-sectional study found that ADHD is associated with reduced myopia prevalence, more hyperopic SER, and shorter AL. Of note, the observed effect sizes of these associations were small; therefore the interpretation of the clinical meaning needs to be cautious.
Publication DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.66.9.36 |
---|---|
Divisions: | College of Health & Life Sciences > Aston Pharmacy School College of Health & Life Sciences Aston University (General) |
Funding Information: | Supported in part by the General Research Fund (GRF), Research Grants Council, Hong Kong (14102422 [ JCY]); Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF), Hong Kong (11220206 [ JCY], 10210246 [YZ], 09202466 [LJC]), National Natural Science Foundation of China ( |
Additional Information: | Copyright © The Authors. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. |
Uncontrolled Keywords: | COVID-19 pandemic,attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder,myopia,Ophthalmology,Sensory Systems,Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience |
Publication ISSN: | 1552-5783 |
Last Modified: | 01 Aug 2025 07:36 |
Date Deposited: | 23 Jul 2025 12:56 |
Full Text Link: | |
Related URLs: |
https://iovs.ar ... ticleid=2809225
(Publisher URL) http://www.scop ... tnerID=8YFLogxK (Scopus URL) |
PURE Output Type: | Article |
Published Date: | 2025-07-14 |
Accepted Date: | 2025-06-20 |
Authors: |
Chen, Xiu Nian
Zhang, Xiu Juan Zhang, Yuzhou Tang, Fangyao Kam, Ka Wai Ng, Mandy P. H. Ip, Patrick Wong, Ian C. K. ( ![]() Zhang, Wei Young, Alvin L. Tham, Clement C. Pang, Chi Pui Chen, Li Jia Yam, Jason C. |