Impact of the Pressure-Free Yutori Education Program on Myopia in Japan

Factors associated with myopia in 19-year-old adult men in Korea between 2014 and 2020

Numerous environmental factors that influence myopia have been studied, but only few factors have been definitively identified. We examined factors influencing myopia using data from 2014 to 2020 physical examinations received from the Korean Military Manpower Administration. We used the Cochran-Armitage trend test to investigate the annual prevalence of myopia and high myopia. To determine risk factors for myopia, logistic regression was performed. The data of 2,215,126 19-year-old Korean men were examined. The myopia and high myopia prevalences showed significant annual increases; in 2020, these prevalences were 58.9% and 18.0%, respectively. The myopia prevalence was high when the birth season was spring, education level was high, height was small, weight and body mass index (BMI) were low (< 18.5 kg/m²), and color vision was normal (all, p < 0.05). The high myopia prevalence was high when the birth season was spring, education level was high, height was tall, weight and BMI were low (< 18.5 kg/m²), and color vision was normal (all, p < 0.05). The prevalence of myopia and high myopia in this population is increasing annually. The risk of both conditions increased when the birth season was spring, education level was high, BMI was low, color vision was normal, and diabetes was present.

Effects of physical activity and use of digital devices on visual acuity in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Purpose

To determine the association between poor visual acuity, the use of digital devices and physical activity (PA) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A total of 327,646 Chinese children and adolescents were included in the analysis using a cluster random sampling method; this is a case-control study, of those 144,708 children and adolescents with poor visual acuity were included in the case group, while 182,938 who did not have poor visual acuity were included in the control group. A logistic regression model was used to assess the contribution of PA and the use of digital devices to poor visual acuity.

Results

A total of 144,708 children and adolescents experienced poor visual acuity during the COVID-19 pandemic; 54.8% were male, and 55.2% live in rural areas. Compared to controls, children and adolescents with poor visual acuity exhibited more time for the use of digital devices (4.51 ± 2.44 vs. 3.79 ± 2.34 for cases and controls, respectively; P < 0.001) and PA (3.07 ± 0.92 vs. 2.85 ± 1.00 for cases and controls, respectively; P < 0.001). During the COVID-19 pandemic, risk factors related to poor visual acuity among children and adolescents included the use of digital devices (OR 1.135; 95% CI 1.132-1.139), and PA (OR 1.269; 95%CI 1.259-1.278). The results of interaction analysis show that for children and adolescents aged 12 to 17, the positive association between the use of digital devices and poor visual acuity decreased. The interaction effect between PA and digital devices is 0.987.

Conclusions

Children and adolescents were at risk of poor visual acuity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Extended use of the digital devices increased the risk of poor visual acuity, especially for children aged 6-11 years. But the risk of poor visual acuity among children and adolescents decreases as the time spent on PA increases.

China Turns to School Reform to Control the Myopia Epidemic: A Narrative Review

ABSTRACT

Myopia is now a major public health issue in parts of East and Southeast Asia, including mainland China. In this region, around 80% of students completing 12 years of school education are now myopic, and from 10% to 20% have high myopia in excess of -6D. Interventions to prevent the onset of myopia based on increasing time outdoors have now been implemented at a system-wide scale in Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) and Singapore with some success, but the prevalence of myopia still remains high by international standards. In mainland China, until recently, myopia prevention was largely based on eye exercises, but these have not been sufficient to prevent an epidemic. Control of myopia progression with atropine eye drops has been widely practiced in Singapore and Taiwan, with recent practice concentrating on low-dose concentrations. Orthokeratology has also been widely used across the region. Recent research has produced both contact and spectacle lenses that slow myopia progression by imposing myopic defocus. The new approaches to myopia control are ready for systematic use, which may be facilitated by system-wide screening and referral. In recent years, renewed emphasis has been placed on the prevention of myopia in mainland China by China's President Xi Jinping. In addition to making use of all the measures outlined above, China now seems to be aiming for major reforms to schooling, reducing educational pressures, particularly in the early school years, freeing more time for outdoor play and learning. These new initiatives may be crucial to myopia prevention and control.