Zhaoqing Myopia Study

A Prospective School-based Study of Myopia in Children in Southern China

Myopia is a common cause of vision loss, being particularly prevalent in children in East and Southeast Asia. The investigators will assess prevalence and incidence of myopia, identify digital biomarkers associated with myopia, and validate algorithms for the detection and/or predition of myopia and other ocular abnormalities in school-aged children in both urban and rural settings in Southern China.

Myopia is a common cause of vision loss, being particularly prevalent in East and Southeast Asia. It is still not entirely clear whether and how visual experience in an urban environment with less outdoor exposure could have an impact on the development and progression of myopia. Zhaoqing has a relatively stable population of 4,084,600, which are representative of the Chinese population in term of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.

Therefore, the investigators will conduct a longitudinal cohort study in both urban and rural settings to examine prevalence and incidence of myopia, identify digital biomarkers associated with myopia, and validate algorithms for the detection and/or predition of incidence and progression of myopia and other ocular abnormalities in school-aged children in Zhaoqing.

Inclusion Criteria:

• All first-grade students from 10 primary schools in urban counties, and from 10 primary schools in rural counties, Zhaoqing city.

Exclusion Criteria:

• No.