Vision screening of school-aged children in Wuqia County: a cross-sectional study in western China

To investigate the prevalence of reduced visual acuity (VA) among school-aged children in Wuqia County, western China.

In this cross-sectional study, 9,094 primary and junior middle school students in Wuqia County underwent vision screening in November 2024. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was measured using a LogMAR tumbling E chart, with reduced VA was defined as UCVA < 20/30 in either eye. We also analyzed associations between reduced VA and factors such as gender, grade level, and residential area (urban vs. rural).

The overall prevalence of reduced VA among school-aged children in Wuqia County was 21.52% (1,957/9,094). The prevalence of reduced VA was significantly higher in female children (26.62%, 1,151/4,324) than in males (16.90%, 806/4,770) (P < 0.01). The occurrence of reduced VA increased significantly with higher grade levels (P < 0.01), from 8.10% in grade 1-31.03% in grade 9. Furthermore, from grade 3 onwards, the prevalence of reduced VA was consistently higher in females compared to males (P < 0.05). Additionally, the prevalence of reduced VA was significantly higher in urban primary schools (21.33%, 635/2,977) than in rural primary schools (15.32%, 564/3,682) (P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis identified higher grade level, female gender, and urban school location as independent factors associated with an increased risk of reduced VA (all P < 0.001).

This study revealed a significant burden of reduced VA among school-aged children in Wuqia County. The findings provide valuable insights for developing targeted interventions and public health policies aimed at improving eye care services in the high-altitude regions of western China.