PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF MYOPIA AMONG STUDENTS IN GRADES 2–11: A POPULATION-BASED STUDY

Myopia is one of the most common refractive errors and represents a serious medical and social problem due to the steady increase in its prevalence among the pediatric population. The development of myopia mainly occurs during school age under the influence of increasing visual load and lifestyle changes. Early onset and progression of myopia increase the risk of severe ophthalmic complications in the future. In this regard, studying the age-related patterns of myopia prevalence among schoolchildren is important for the development of effective early diagnostic and preventive programs. The aim of this study . To assess the prevalence of myopia and to identify age-related patterns of its development among schoolchildren. Materials and Methods. A total of 520 students from grades 2 to 11 were examined. Visual acuity testing, autorefractometry, and ophthalmoscopy were performed. Myopia was defined as a spherical equivalent of ≤ −0.5 D. Results. The overall prevalence of myopia was 25.0% (95% CI: 21.3–28.7%). The prevalence of myopia increased with age, from 8.3% in grades 2–4 to 41.7% in grades 10–11 (p < 0.001). Age was an independent risk factor (OR = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.18–1.36). Conclusion. A significant age-related dependence in the prevalence of myopia was identified, which requires the implementation of early screening and preventive programs.