Myopia in elementary school students in Eastern China during the COVID-19 pandemic

Myopia is an increasingly serious public concern, particularly among primary school students. The prevalence of myopia and its influencing factors in primary school pupils in Eastern China during the COVID-19 pandemic had not been explored.

A randomly clustered sampling method was performed, and selected pupils from grade 1 to grade 3 in 15 primary schools in the Fenghua District of Zhejiang Province were included and given myopia screening and uniform questionnaire survey 1 year later.

A total of 4,213 students completed the myopia screening and questionnaire survey. Myopia was diagnosed in 1,356 pupils, with a myopia incidence of 32.19%. The spherical equivalent (SE) refraction of the included pupils decreased on average by 0.50 ± 2.15 D 1 year later. The myopia rate was positively correlated with the increase of grade, in which the myopia rate among grade 3 students was the highest at 39.69%. The myopia rate among female students was higher than that among male students. Students residing in urban areas had a higher myopia rate than in rural areas. Maintaining an near work distance ≥33 cm was a significant protective factor (OR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.74-0.96). Students with two myopic parents had a higher risk of myopia (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.34-1.92).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the myopia rate among early primary school students in Eastern China was high. More attention and implementation of interventions from health and education departments, such as training the development of good eye behavior, should be considered to strengthen the intervention of myopia in primary school students.