Visual disability, visual function, and myopia among rural chinese secondary school children: the Xichang Pediatric Refractive Error Study (X-PRES)--report 1.
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.
Congdon
Nathan
N
Joint Shantou International Eye Center, Shantou University and Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shantou, Peoples Republic of China. ncongdon@cuhk.edu.hk
Wang
Yunfei
Y
Song
Yue
Y
Choi
Kai
K
Zhang
Mingzhi
M
Zhou
Zhongxia
Z
Xie
Zhenling
Z
Li
Liping
L
Liu
Xueyu
X
Sharma
Abhishek
A
Wu
Bin
B
Lam
Dennis S C
DS
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