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Myopia and skin cancer are inversely correlated: results of the Busselton Healthy Ageing Study

Maria Franchina, Seyhan Yazar, Michael Hunter, Adam Gajdatsy, Jean-Louis deSousa, Alex W Hewitt and David A Mackey
Med J Aust 2014; 200 (9): . || doi: 10.5694/mja14.00086
Published online: 15 May 2014

To the Editor: Myopia is a major public health problem, and is increasing in prevalence and severity.1 The complications of high myopia (defined as a spherical equivalent [SE] > 6.00 diopters [D] or axial length > 26.5 mm) can be sight-threatening.2


  • 1 Centre of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Western Australia and Lions Eye Institute, Perth, WA.
  • 2 Busselton Health Study Centre, Busselton Population Medical Research Institute, Busselton, WA.
  • 3 Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC.


Correspondence: David.Mackey@lei.org.au

Acknowledgements: 

We are grateful to the community of Busselton for their ongoing support and participation. The BHAS is supported by grants from the Government of Western Australia and the City of Busselton.

Competing interests: No relevant disclosures.

  • 1. Pan CW, Ramamurthy D, Saw SM. Worldwide prevalence and risk factors for myopia. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2012; 32: 3-16.
  • 2. Saw SM, Gazzard G, Shih-Yen EC, Chua WH. Myopia and associated pathological complications. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2005; 25: 381-391.
  • 3. Morgan IG, Xiang F, Rose KA, et al. Two year results from the Guangzhou Outdoor Activity Longitudinal Study (GOALS). Abstract 2735. Presented at: The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology; 2012 May 6-9; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
  • 4. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australasian Association of Cancer Registries. Cancer in Australia: an overview 2012. Canberra: AIHW, 2012. (AIHW Cat. No. CAN 70; Cancer Series No. 74.) https://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129542359 (accessed Mar 2014).
  • 5. James AL, Hunter M, Straker L, et al. Rationale, design and methods for a community-based study of clustering and cumulative effects of chronic disease processes and their effects on ageing: the Busselton Healthy Ageing Study. BMC Public Health 2013; 13: 936.

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