Vitamin D May Reflect Myopia Risk - Summary - MDSpire
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Vitamin D May Reflect Myopia Risk
Narrative review linked lower vitamin D levels to greater myopia risk and higher omega-3 intake to lower risk, though outdoor exposure may explain the vitamin D association.
To review the relationship between vitamin D levels, outdoor exposure, and myopia prevalence and progression, alongside other nutritional factors.
Key Findings:
Lower serum vitamin D levels were associated with higher myopia prevalence and longer axial length.
Observational studies found patients with myopia had lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations compared to nonmyopic controls.
Each 25 nmol/L increase in serum vitamin D level was associated with a 35% reduction in the odds of myopia.
A Taiwanese birth cohort study found no association between vitamin D levels from birth through early childhood and myopia development.
Omega-3 PUFAs showed the strongest evidence as a probable protective factor against myopia.
Interpretation:
The evidence does not establish a direct causal role for vitamin D in myopia development, emphasizing that outdoor exposure is a more consistent protective factor.
Limitations:
Most available evidence was observational, limiting causal inference.
The review was narrative rather than systematic and did not include a formal risk-of-bias assessment.
Included studies had heterogeneous exposure measurements, study designs, and outcome definitions.
The lack of a systematic review process may affect the reliability of the findings.
Conclusion:
The current literature does not support specific nutritional interventions as standalone strategies for myopia control, highlighting the need to consider environmental factors.
A nearly decade-long observational follow-up found continued slowing of axial elongation into late adolescence, while refractive outcomes remained less consistent.
