title: Visual disability, visual function, and myopia among rural chinese secondary school children: the Xichang Pediatric Refractive Error Study (X-PRES)--report 1.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate visual acuity, visual function, and prevalence of refractive error among Chinese secondary-school children in a cross-sectional school-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Uncorrected, presenting, and best corrected visual acuity, cycloplegic autorefraction with refinement, and self-reported visual function were assessed in a random, cluster sample of rural secondary school students in Xichang, China.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 1892 subjects (97.3% of the consenting children, 84.7% of the total sample), mean age was 14.7 +/- 0.8 years, 51.2% were female, and 26.4% were wearing glasses. The proportion of children with uncorrected, presenting, and corrected visual disability (< or = 6/12 in the better eye) was 41.2%, 19.3%, and 0.5%, respectively. Myopia < -0.5, < -2.0, and < -6.0 D in both eyes was present in 62.3%, 31.1%, and 1.9% of the subjects, respectively. Among the children with visual disability when tested without correction, 98.7% was due to refractive error, while only 53.8% (414/770) of these children had appropriate correction. The girls had significantly (P < 0.001) more presenting visual disability and myopia < -2.0 D than did the boys. More myopic refractive error was associated with worse self-reported visual function (ANOVA trend test, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Visual disability in this population was common, highly correctable, and frequently uncorrected. The impact of refractive error on self-reported visual function was significant. Strategies and studies to understand and remove barriers to spectacle wear are needed.
authors: Joint Shantou International Eye Center, Shantou University and Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shantou, Peoples Republic of China. ncongdon@cuhk.edu.hk
authors: Nathan
authors: N
authors: Congdon
authors: Yunfei
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Yue
authors: Y
authors: Song
authors: Kai
authors: K
authors: Choi
authors: Mingzhi
authors: M
authors: Zhang
authors: Zhongxia
authors: Z
authors: Zhou
authors: Zhenling
authors: Z
authors: Xie
authors: Liping
authors: L
authors: Li
authors: Xueyu
authors: X
authors: Liu
authors: Abhishek
authors: A
authors: Sharma
authors: Bin
authors: B
authors: Wu
authors: Dennis S C
authors: DS
authors: Lam
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D044466:Asian People; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005139:Eyeglasses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015995:Prevalence; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012424:Rural Population; D012574:Schools; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D014785:Vision, Ocular