Chinese Eye Exercises and Myopia Development in School Age Children: A Nested Case-control Study

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric Optometry
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Chinese eye exercises have a long history in China as a myopia control strategy for children.
• Myopia development and progression in children remain a significant public health concern globally.
• Understanding the efficacy of traditional interventions like eye exercises is crucial for evidence-based practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between performing Chinese eye exercises and the onset and progression of myopia in junior middle school children.
• To evaluate the impact of exercise quality on myopia outcomes.
• To provide data for future myopia control strategies.

Main Methods:

• A nested case-control study design was employed.
• Myopia onset was defined as a cycloplegic spherical equivalent ≤ -0.5 diopters.
• Myopia progression was defined as a shift of ≥ 1.0 diopter over two years.
• Exercise performance quality was assessed by independent investigators.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant association was found between Chinese eye exercises and myopia onset (OR=0.73) or progression (OR=0.79).
• A subgroup performing high-quality exercises showed a trend towards slightly lower myopia progression (0.15 D over 2 years), but this was not statistically significant.
• Limited sample size, low exercise dosage, and variable performance quality were identified as limitations.

Conclusions:

• Current evidence does not support a significant role for Chinese eye exercises in preventing myopia onset or progression in this population.
• The observed trend in high-quality exercise performers warrants further investigation with larger sample sizes and controlled protocols.
• Future research should focus on optimizing exercise parameters and quality for potential myopia control benefits.