To identify the association between hormone replacement therapy and eye diseases.

The fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV) is a nationwide survey. The study included 5,808 females who completed the KNHANES IV. The prevalence of eye disease of adjusted mean using linear regression analysis between the subjects who had hormone replacement therapy and those who did not have the therapy was analyzed.

Among the 5,808 females, 480 (8.3%) received hormone replacement therapy. The adjusted prevalence of myopia was 44.5% (95% CI, 38.1-51.2) in the subjects who received hormone replacement therapy, and 54.4% (95% CI, 52.6-56.1) in those who did not have the therapy. The adjusted prevalence of hyperopia was 7.7% (95% CI, 5.5-10.6) in subjects who received hormone replacement therapy and 4.5% (95% CI, 3.8-5.3) in those who did not have the therapy. The adjusted prevalence of pterygium was 2.1% (95% CI, 1.3-3.3) in the subjects who received hormone replacement therapy and 3.3% (95% CI, 2.7-4.0) in those who did not have the therapy. All the results were statistically significant with a p -value <0.05. The adjusted prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was 5.6% (95% CI, 1.4-19.8) in the subjects who received hormone replacement therapy and 16.7% (95% CI, 13.0-21.2) in those who did have the therapy. The p -value was 0.053, which is marginally statistically significant.

The adjusted prevalence of myopia, pterygium, and diabetic retinopathy in the subjects who received hormone replacement therapy was low, although hyperopia was statistically significantly high.