Online Survey on Myopia Progression Among Chinese Adult Undergraduates: A Pilot Study

To estimate the prevalence and severity of myopia progression among adult undergraduates during their college years, providing a foundation for larger-scale stratified surveys.

An online survey targeting Chinese adult undergraduates was conducted via WeChat. The original questionnaire collected data on current refractive status, myopia progression information, family history and lifestyle habits. Non-myopic individuals and those with other ocular diseases were excluded.

By June 2024, 996 responses were collected, with 922 included after exclusions. Participants were mostly from Hubei (23.9%), Shanghai (18.2%) and Tianjin (15.8%), majoring in Engineering and Architecture (19.0%), Literature (15.7%) and Medicine (15.2%). The average age was 21.9 ± 1.2 years, and the mean spherical power (SPH) was -3.84 ± 1.80D (left eye) and -4.06 ± 1.81D (right eye). Myopia progression was reported by 56.3% of participants, with the fastest progression during the third year (40.3%) and the second year (28.7%). The fastest annual change of SPH was 0-0.25D (49.5%), followed by 0.25-0.50D (28.5%), 0.50-0.75D (11.0%) and over 0.75D (3.5%). The willingness to adopt myopia control measures was substantial, with 66.3% of participants expressing a preference for specially designed frame glasses. Logistic regression indicated that higher baseline SPH, younger age, and greater stress were associated with myopia progression during college years.

Myopia progression is common among Chinese adult undergraduates, particularly during their second and third years. Students experiencing myopia progression show a strong willingness to adopt myopia control interventions. Myopia progression during college years is associated with age, baseline spherical power and academic stress.