How Diet Affects Myopia in Children and Adolescents: A Review of Food Patterns and Eye Health

Background: Myopia is an increasingly important pediatric public health problem, with prevalence rising rapidly among children and adolescents worldwide. Although genetic predisposition, near work, and reduced outdoor exposure are recognized contributors, diet has emerged as a potentially modifiable factor that may influence ocular growth and refractive development. Methods: A narrative review was conducted using recent peer-reviewed literature on myopia in children and adolescents, focusing on dietary patterns, nutrient-specific associations, and biological mechanisms linking nutrition with axial elongation and refractive error. Results: Available evidence suggests that higher intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may be associated with shorter axial length and lower myopia risk, whereas higher saturated fat intake may be linked to less favorable refractive outcomes. Pro-inflammatory dietary patterns have also been associated with higher myopia prevalence in some adolescent groups. However, the evidence remains inconsistent. Recent meta-analytic data did not confirm significant overall associations between total macronutrient intake and myopia, and most existing studies are observational. Findings regarding vitamins and carotenoids are similarly mixed, with no clear consensus for most micronutrients. Conclusions: Diet may contribute to myopia development and progression as part of a broader lifestyle and environmental framework, but current evidence does not support definitive dietary recommendations for myopia control. Nutritional quality should be considered a potentially relevant component of pediatric eye health, alongside established preventive and clinical myopia management strategies. Further longitudinal and interventional studies are needed to clarify causality and clinical relevance.