ArticleBMC public health2024
Survey on pattern of myopia in school children in Hangzhou after the COVID-19 pandemic: a school-based vision screening study.
Article in BMC public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 3 papers.
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3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Prevalence of poor vision and its associated factors among middle school students: a cross-sectional study.BMC public health · 2026Article
- The role of astigmatism in myopia development, myopia progression and myopia control.Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2025Review
- [Epidemiological characteristics of myopia and pre-myopia among preschool children aged 5-6 years in ten provinces of China].Beijing da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Peking University. Health sciences · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMyopia is a major health issue around the world. Myopia in children has increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic in China, but reports are scarce on the prevalence of myopia following the pandemic. This study collected vision screening data of school children in China for five consecutive years to observe the changes in myopia after the pandemic and compare the observed prevalence of myopia before and after the pandemic.
methodsA school-based vision screening study used stratified samplings to collect the vision screening data in school children aged 6-13 from 45 primary schools in Hangzhou. Vision screening data including uncorrected visual acuity(UCVA) and spherical equivalent refraction(SER). Calculating the mean of SER and the prevalence of myopia and hyperopia from 2019 to 2023.
resultsA total of 79,068 screening results (158,136 eyes) were included in the analysis. A substantial myopic shift (approximately -0.30 diopters [D] on average) was found in 2020 and 2021 compared with 2019 in all age groups and a substantial myopic shift (approximately 0.4 D on average) was found in 2022 compared with 2021. A slight myopic shift (approximately -0.14 D on average) was found in 2023 compared with 2022. The prevalence of myopia in all age groups was the highest for five years in 2020 or 2021, which was 31.3% for 6-year-olds, 43.0% for 7-year-olds, and 53.7% for 8-year-olds. A positive change in the prevalence rate of myopia was found at 6 years old (0.59%, 0.12%, 0.36%, 0.25%, p < 0.001). The change in prevalence rate in myopia was shifted slightly in children aged 10-13 years. Children aged 8 to 13 years had a slight increase in myopia prevalence from 2022 to 2023. The prevalence of hyperopia was low and stable in all grade groups, ranging from 0.7% to 2.2% over five years.
conclusionMyopia in children has increased rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic. After the pandemic, the prevalence of myopia in children gradually decreased temporarily and then rebounded. Myopic shift was more apparent in younger children. Myopic shift in children may be related to the reduction of outdoor time, less light, and near work habits, and further research is needed.
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