Abstract
Purpose:
To evaluate the factors associated with myopia and axial lengths in the school children included in the Recess Outside Classroom-711 trial.
Methods:
In total 24 elementary schools located at 4 different areas of Taiwan, cycloplegic autorefraction and axial length by noncontact optical low-coherence reflectometer (Lenstar) were measured at baseline in 1336 grade 1 children. The children and parent questionnaires were obtained.
Results:
The myopia prevalence was 20.88%. The mean refraction error (spherical equivalence) was 0.15 +/- 1.18 D. The mean axial length was 22.83 +/- 0.78 mm. In the multivariate analysis, the factors of male, parent myopia, near work and after-school tutorial classes were significant associated with myopia status. For the axial length, the factors of male, age, less outdoors and after-school tutorial classes were associated with longer axial length.
Conclusions:
After-school tutorial classes was an important factor associated with myopia and axial length in junior grade elementary schoolchildren in Taiwan.