The Prevalence of Myopia in Finnish Conscripts Has not Increased in Recent Decades and Is Lower Than in Many East and Southeast Asian Countries.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of myopia among Finnish conscripts and to identify the factors associated with its occurrence in Finland.

Methods: A total of 1694 conscripts (mean age: 19.3 ± 1.55 years) participated in the study. Refraction was performed on 1522 participants under tropicamide-induced cycloplegia. The final analyses included 1286 male conscripts who had completed the Finnish schooling system. A structured questionnaire collected data about education, time spent doing near work, smartphone use, and outdoor time. Univariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine the factors associated with myopia.

Results: The overall prevalence of myopia was 23.5%, of which 0.4% had high myopia (SE ≤ -6 D). The main factors associated with myopia included (adjusted odds ratio; 95% confidence interval) near work time (1.184; 1.113-1.259), time spent outdoors (0.823; 0.754-0.895), and basic schooling versus higher education (1.256; 0.796-1.988). Among the higher-educated group, increased smartphone use was associated with a higher prevalence of myopia, whereas in the other educational groups, no association could be established.

Conclusions: The prevalence of myopia among Finnish conscripts was relatively low, and high myopia was rare compared to the rates reported in many East and Southeast Asian countries. Higher education, prolonged near work, reduced time outdoors, and increased smartphone use (in the higher-educated group) were factors associated with myopia prevalence. The reduced educational pressure may be attributed to the lower prevalence of myopia among Finnish conscripts compared to many East and Southeast Asian countries, where myopia is much more prevalent.