J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  1978 Dec;19(4):391-397.

Study of Visual Acuity and Refractive State in Primary School Children

• Park BI
• Park YG
• Lee HS
• Chae KW

Abstract

We examined visual acuity and refractive state of 1,522 children (904 boys and 618 girls) in the 6th grade of the primary school in the center of Kwangju city, and of 1,318 children(711 boys and 607 girls) in the outskirts. To evaluate environmental factors, the statistical comparative study in two groups about visual acuity and refractive state including the data from the questionnaires answered by parentr was done. The results were as follows: 1. The incidence of subnormal visual acuity was 20.5%. It was higher in girls (25.9%) than in boys (16.3%), and higher in the school in the center (22.7%) of the city than in the outskirts (17.9%). Especially, in girls, it was significantly low in the outskirts (21.4%) comparing to the center (30.3%). 2. In the relationship between the incidence of subnormal visual acuity and posture, the incidence was higher in the children who have a poor carriage during studying(24.6%) than in the children who have a fine carriage (19.9%) and it was markedly higher in girls (30.7%) than in boys (19.7%). 3. The incidence of subnormal visual acuity was higher in the children who maintained inadequate distance from the TV set (24.1% ) than in the children who maintained adequate distance (19.6%), and it was higher in girls (31.3%) than in boys (17.8%). 4. The incidence of subnormal visual acuity was similar in the children who had balanced diet (21.6%)and the children who had one-sided diet (22.8%). 5. Refractive state of the eyes with subnormal visual acuity was myopic in 17.0%, hyperopic in 3.0% and mixed astigmatic in 0.3%. The incidence of myopic eyes was higher in girls (21.3%) than in boys (13.8%). 6. Occurrence of the eyes which returned from abnormal refractive state to emme tropia by instillation of 5% homatropine solution was similar in boys (5.2%) and girls (6.9%) and the eyes were considered to be pseudomyopic.

MeSH Terms

Child*
Diet
Female
Gwangju
Humans
Incidence
Posture
Surveys and Questionnaires
Visual Acuity*