Prevalence of myopia and hyperopia in a population of Polish schoolchildren

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of myopia and hyperopia in a population of Polish schoolchildren. Methods: A total of 4422 students were examined (2107 boys and 2315 girls, aged 6-18 years, mean age 11.1, S.D. 3.5). The examination included retinoscopy under cycloplegia induced with 1% tropicamide. Myopia was defined as a spherical equivalent (SE) of at least )0.5 dioptres (D), and hyperopia as a SE of at least +1.0 D. Data analysis was performed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficients and chi-squared test; p-values of <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: It was observed that 13.3% of Polish students in the age group ranging from 6 to 18 years were myopic while 13.1% of students were hyperopic. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between the prevalence of myopia and age (p < 0.001) and a negative correlation between prevalence of hyperopia and age (p < 0.001). It was observed that the prevalence of myopia increases substantially between 7 and 8 years of age (p < 0.01). Moreover, it was determined that with age the average refractive error among schoolchildren becomes more myopic (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The occurrence, degree and progress of myopia and hyperopia in Poland is similar to that in other European countries with a predominantly Caucasian population.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Myopia in a Rural Korean Population

“…10 A similar study in Poland also showed a large difference of myopia prevalence between urban (13.9%) and rural (7.5%) children. 24 Unlike previous studies, we did not find a large difference between rural and urban areas of Korea. This finding could be due to exceptionally high educational pressures in South Korea, which is supported by the fact that even in this rural area, over 50% of young males are enrolled in 4-to 6-year university programs, and also the evidence that South Korea is one of the top countries in international educational surveys such as Program for International Student Assessment carried out by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.…”

Refractive error and visual impairment in school children in Northern Ireland

“…The study population in Northern Ireland is slightly older than that of the Australian study (mean age: 13.1 vs 12.7 years, respectively), but this difference is unlikely to fully explain the disparity in reported prevalences. A lower prevalence of myopia (11% in 13-year-old children) has also been reported in Poland, with 1% tropicamide used as the cycloplegic agent 20. By contrast, the prevalence of myopia in Northern Ireland is markedly lower at 12–13 years than the 45% reported in Swedish children of the same age 21.…”

Do glasses change children’s perceptions? Effects of eyeglasses on peer- and self-perception

“…However, many older, urban youngsters particularly do not wear spectacles, even though they need them (Holguin et al, 2006;Yawn, Kurland, Butterfield, & Johnson, 1998;Zeng et al, 2009). In fact, older children/adolescents have more myopia (Czepita et al, 2007;Holguin et al, 2006;Murthy et al, 2002). A main reason reported for dissatisfaction with spectacles is the preference of not wearing them or using contact lenses (Li et al, 2009;Walline et al, 2005;Yawn et al, 1998), even when researchers used fashionable glasses (Zeng et al, 2009).…”