Prevalence of hyperopia and associations with eye findings in 6- and 12-year-olds.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the prevalence of hyperopia and associated factors in a representative sample of Australian schoolchildren 6 and 12 years old.


METHODS
Population-based cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Schoolchildren ages 6 (n = 1765) and 12 (n = 2353) from 55 randomly selected schools across Sydney.


METHODS
Detailed eye examinations included cycloplegic autorefraction, ocular biometry, cover testing, and dilated fundus examination. Information on birth and medical history were obtained from a parent questionnaire.


METHODS
Moderate hyperopia defined as spherical equivalent (SE) refraction of > or =+2.00 diopters (D), and eye conditions including amblyopia, strabismus, astigmatism, and anisometropia.


RESULTS
Prevalences of moderate hyperopia among children ages 6 and 12 were 13.2% and 5.0%, respectively; it was more frequent in children of Caucasian ethnicity (15.7% and 6.8%, respectively) than in children of other ethnic groups. Compared with children without significant ametropia (-0.49 < or = SE refraction < or = +1.99 D), the prevalence of eye conditions including amblyopia, strabismus, abnormal convergence, and reduced stereoacuity was significantly greater in children with moderate hyperopia (all Ps < 0.01). Maternal smoking was significantly associated with moderate hyperopia among 6-year-olds (P = 0.03), but this association was borderline among 12-year-olds (P = 0.055). Early gestational age (<37 weeks) and low birth weight (<2500 g) were not statistically significant predictors of moderate hyperopia in childhood.


CONCLUSIONS
Moderate hyperopia was strongly associated with many common eye conditions, particularly amblyopia and strabismus, in older children. Birth parameters did not predict moderate hyperopia.
Department of Ophthalmology (Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Hospital), Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Jenny M
JM
Ip
Dana
D
Robaei
Annette
A
Kifley
Jie Jin
JJ
Wang
Kathryn A
KA
Rose
Paul
P
Mitchell
D000293:Adolescent; D000550:Amblyopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D000886:Anthropometry; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005123:Eye / Q000473:pathology; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006956:Hyperopia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009035:Mothers; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013285:Strabismus / Q000453:epidemiology; D014792:Visual Acuity; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data