AUTHOR=Wang Wenjing , Peng Shuzhen , Zhang Faxue , Zhu Boya , Zhang Longjiang , Tan Xiaodong 

TITLE=Progression of Vision in Chinese School-Aged Children Before and After COVID-19

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 67 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2022.1605028

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2022.1605028

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=Background: Wuhan is a national demonstration area for myopia prevention and control, as well as the hardest-hit area of COVID-19. Understanding the progression of vision and its risk factors is important for public health before and after COVID-19.
Methods: A study using school-based vision screenings in children from 133 elementary schools in Wuhan, China, was conducted. The study was performed during 4 consecutive years (2018-2021). 
Results: A total of 468,094 children (936,188 eyes) were recruited, 255,863 (54.7%) were boys. The SER was substantially decreased in 2020 compared with other years after the age of 10. A positive myopia shift was found in the 2020 years compared with 2019 for younger children aged 6 (0.1 D), 7 (0.05D), and 8 (0.03 D). The progression of vision has improved slightly in 2021. Among the students included in the study, 33.7% were myopia.
Conclusions: The vision of older children decreased significantly during the COVID-19. After the pandemic, there is still a high risk for them. In the future, the focus on vision prevention and control should move forward to preschool children.