Methods for a population-based study of myopia and other eye conditions in school children: the Sydney Myopia Study.
OBJECTIVE
The Sydney Myopia Study will establish the prevalence of myopia and other eye diseases in a large representative sample of Sydney school children. It will also examine the relationship between myopia and potential modifiable risk factors and will assess potential gene-environment interactions by examining parents and siblings.


METHODS
The target population is a stratified random cluster sample of 1750 Year 1 (age 6 years) and 1500 Year 7 (age 12 years) students from Sydney metropolitan schools. Procedures (comprehensive parent-administered questionnaire and examination) involve standardized protocols to allow for comparison with international population-based data. Examinations include a detailed assessment of visual acuity, cover testing for strabismus, identification of amblyopia, slit-lamp examination, non-contact ocular biometry and cycloplegia (cyclopentolate) followed by autorefraction, optical coherence tomography, retinal thickness measurement, digital mydriatic retinal photography and aberrometry.


CONCLUSIONS
The Sydney Myopia Study design and methodology will ensure valid findings on ocular development and health in a large representative sample of Sydney school children, for comparison with other population-based refraction data.
Ojaimi
Elvis
E
University of Sydney, Department of Ophthalmology (Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Hospital) and the Westmead Millennium Institute, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.
Rose
Kathryn A
KA
Smith
Wayne
W
Morgan
Ian G
IG
Martin
Frank J
FJ
Mitchell
Paul
P
D000293:Adolescent; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence