Large-scale study in Chengdu, China: The prevalence of myopia full-correction decreased with increasing myopia in adolescents

Jing Wei; Xiaohong Xiang; Pengbo Zhang; Jinyu Mu; Hongbin Lv; Junguo Duan

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31593

Large-scale study in Chengdu, China: The prevalence of myopia full-correction decreased with increasing myopia in adolescents

Heliyon. 2024 May 20;10(11):e31593. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31593. eCollection 2024 Jun 15.

Authors

Jing Wei¹, Xiaohong Xiang², Pengbo Zhang³, Jinyu Mu¹, Hongbin Lv², Junguo Duan^{1

4}

Affiliations

¹ Eye School of Chengdu University of TCM, Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province Ophthalmopathy Prevention & Cure and Visual Function Protection with TCM Laboratory, Retinal Image Technology and Chronic Vascular Disease Prevention & Control and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, China.
² Department of Ophthalmology in the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
³ Department of Ophthalmopathy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
⁴ Ineye Hospital of Chengdu University of TCM, Sichuan Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Myopia Prevention and Treatment Center, Sichuan Vision Protection Science Popularization Base, Key Research Laboratory of Visual Function Protection, State Administration of TCM, Chengdu, China.

Abstract

Myopia is an increasingly serious health issue among children and adolescents worldwide. This study investigated the situation related to myopia among students in Chengdu, a city in western China, and analyzed the prevalence of myopia spectacle wear and myopia full-correction and their influencing factors to understand the current status of myopia prevention. This school-based cross-sectional study investigated 1582 schools in seven districts of Chengdu City, China, enrolling a total of 417,337 students aged 6-18 years (elementary, middle, and high school) from 2020 to 2022. Examination items included uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), slit lamp examination and non-cycloplegic autorefraction. Myopia was defined as non-cycloplegic SE ≤ -0.50 D + UCVA> 0 log MAR (age ≥6). The prevalence of myopia spectacle wear is defined as the number of people wearing glasses for myopia/the number of people with myopia (%) within the study population, and myopia full-correction is defined as normal vision after wearing glasses for myopia (≤0 log MAR for 6 years and above). With the support of the government, this programme is conducted 1-2 times a year. Statistical analyses are conducted to determine the association between myopia and various parameters. The average age of the entire survey population was 10.96 ± 3.5 years, and the overall prevalence of myopia was 48.7%, myopia spectacle wear was 65.7%, and myopia full-correction was 50.5%. With increasing age and educational levels, the prevalence of moderate to high myopia, the prevalence of myopia spectacle wear, and the prevalence of myopia full-correction all rise. The prevalence of mild myopia full-correction (46.5%) was higher than that for moderate myopia (47.1%) and even higher than that for high myopia (39.6%). The correct utilization rate of myopic spectacles was 33.17%, increasing with age and education levels, with the highest correct utilization rate of 40.7% among those with moderate myopia. The prevalence of myopia among children and adolescents in Chengdu is relatively low, and the prevalence of myopia spectacle wear and myopia full-correction need to be improved, and it was found that with the increase of myopia, the prevalence of myopia full-correction among adolescents decreased instead.

Keywords: Children and adolescents; Epidemiology; Myopia; Myopia full-correction; Spectacle wear.