Objectives: To report on: (a) overall myopia and high myopia prevalence, and (b) the impact of education on the spherical equivalent refractive error in children across Shanghai.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Setting: Across all 17 districts of Shanghai.
Participants: 910 245 children aged 4-14 years from a school-based survey conducted between 2012 and 2013.
Main outcome measures: Data of children with non-cycloplegic autorefraction, visual acuity assessment and questionnaire were analysed (67%, n=6 06 476). Prevalence of myopia (≤-1.0 D) and high myopia (≤-5.0 D) was determined. We used a regression discontinuity design to determine the impact of school entry cut-off date (1 September) by comparing refractive errors at each age, for children born pre-September to post-1 September, and performed a multivariate analysis to explore risk factors associated with myopia. Data analysis was performed in 2017-2018.
Results: Prevalence rates of myopia and high myopia were 32.9% (95% CI: 32.8% to 33.1%) and 4.2% (95% CI: 4.1% to 4.2%), respectively. From 6 years of age onwards, children born pre-September were more myopic compared with those born post-1 September (ahead in school by 1 year, discontinuity at 6 years: -0.19 D (95% CI: -0.09 to -0.30 D); 14 years: -0.67 D (95% CI: -0.21 to -1.14 D)).
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that myopia is associated with education, that is primarily focused on near-based activities. Efforts to reduce the burden should be directed to public awareness, reform of education and health systems.
Keywords: epidemiology; ophthalmology; public health.
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