Prevalence of myopia among Hong Kong Chinese schoolchildren: changes over two decades. 2012

Carly Siu-Yin Lam, and Chin-Hang Lam, and Sam Chi-Kwan Cheng, and Lily Yee-Lai Chan
Centre for Myopia Research, School of Optometry, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong. carly.lam@polyu.edu.hk

OBJECTIVE Studies have documented an increasing prevalence of myopia among urbanized Asian countries over recent decades. In the early 1990s, the reported prevalence rate was 25% and 64% for 6 and 12 year old children respectively. This cross-sectional study aims to determine the current prevalence of myopia amongst Hong Kong Chinese schoolchildren and whether there has been any increase over the last two decades. METHODS Data from 2651 children aged 6-12 (mean age: 8.92 ± 1.77, 53% boys) who participated in vision screening during 2005-2010 were analyzed. Visual parameters including visual acuity (in logMAR) and binocular status under the participants' habitual correction were assessed. Refractive errors were examined using non-cycloplegic auto-refraction and axial lengths were measured by partial coherence interferometry. RESULTS The mean spherical equivalent refraction for this population was -1.02 ± 1.70D, ranging from +4.75 to -10.00D. Prevalence of myopia (more than -0.50D) was 18.3% for the 6-year-old group and 61.5% for the 12-year-old group. Average myopia magnitude was -0.06 ± 1.03D at age 6 and -1.67 ± 1.99D at age 12. Prevalence of high myopia of more than -6.00D was 1.8%, with an increase from 0.7% at the age of 6 to 3.8% at the age of 12. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of myopia among the Chinese schoolchildren population in Hong Kong as observed in this cross-sectional study are similar to our previously reported findings from almost two decades ago. There is no evidence that prevalence of myopia is increasing with time over the last two decades. However, the prevalence and degree of myopia in Chinese children is high as compared with other ethnic groups such as those reported among Caucasians.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D009216 Myopia A refractive error in which rays of light entering the EYE parallel to the optic axis are brought to a focus in front of the RETINA when accommodation (ACCOMMODATION, OCULAR) is relaxed. This results from an overly curved CORNEA or from the eyeball being too long from front to back. It is also called nearsightedness. Nearsightedness,Myopias,Nearsightednesses
D012030 Refractive Errors Deviations from the average or standard indices of refraction of the eye through its dioptric or refractive apparatus. Ametropia,Refractive Disorders,Ametropias,Disorder, Refractive,Disorders, Refractive,Error, Refractive,Errors, Refractive,Refractive Disorder,Refractive Error
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D003430 Cross-Sectional Studies Studies in which the presence or absence of disease or other health-related variables are determined in each member of the study population or in a representative sample at one particular time. This contrasts with LONGITUDINAL STUDIES which are followed over a period of time. Disease Frequency Surveys,Prevalence Studies,Analysis, Cross-Sectional,Cross Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Survey,Surveys, Disease Frequency,Analyses, Cross Sectional,Analyses, Cross-Sectional,Analysis, Cross Sectional,Cross Sectional Analyses,Cross Sectional Studies,Cross Sectional Survey,Cross-Sectional Analyses,Cross-Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Study,Cross-Sectional Surveys,Disease Frequency Survey,Prevalence Study,Studies, Cross-Sectional,Studies, Prevalence,Study, Cross-Sectional,Study, Prevalence,Survey, Cross-Sectional,Survey, Disease Frequency,Surveys, Cross-Sectional
D005260 Female Females
D006723 Hong Kong The former British crown colony located off the southeast coast of China, comprised of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula, and New Territories. The three sites were ceded to the British by the Chinese respectively in 1841, 1860, and 1898. Hong Kong reverted to China in July 1997. The name represents the Cantonese pronunciation of the Chinese xianggang, fragrant port, from xiang, perfume and gang, port or harbor, with reference to its currents sweetened by fresh water from a river west of it. Kowloon,New Territories,Hongkong
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000367 Age Factors Age as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or the effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from AGING, a physiological process, and TIME FACTORS which refers only to the passage of time. Age Reporting,Age Factor,Factor, Age,Factors, Age
D012737 Sex Factors Maleness or femaleness as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from SEX CHARACTERISTICS, anatomical or physiological manifestations of sex, and from SEX DISTRIBUTION, the number of males and females in given circumstances. Factor, Sex,Factors, Sex,Sex Factor

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