title: Prevalence and risk factors for myopia in a rural Korean population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence and risk factors of myopia in 19-year-old males in Jeju, a rural area of Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2805 subjects were included. Refractive examination was performed with cycloplegia to test for myopia (< -0.5 diopters [D]) and high myopia (< -6.0 D). Possible associated factors were evaluated including height, weight, educational level, and color vision deficiency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of myopia and high myopia were 83.3% and 6.8%, respectively, in 19-year-old males in Jeju. University students in their fourth to sixth years showed a higher risk for myopia (odds ratio [OR] 2.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.52-2.71, P < 0.001) than those with lower academic achievement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of myopia was relatively high (83.3%) in a rural area of Korea, while the rate of high myopia was relatively low (6.8%) compared with that (20.6%) in an urban area of Korea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Hae
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Donghyun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jee
authors.forename: Jin-Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Won Ki
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Korea; high myopia; myopia; prevalence; rural