Bottom Line: Nearsightedness (myopia) is a leading cause of visual impairment worldwide. A new study of about 4,700 Chinese schoolchildren suggests the rate of nearsightedness may be 20 percent to 30 percent each year from first grade onward. If such a frequency is confirmed with further testing, researchers suggest interventions to reduce the onset of nearsightedness, such as increasing the time spent outdoors, should be initiated in primary schools.
Authors: Mingguang He, M.D., Ph.D., Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China, and coauthors
To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website .
(doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2018.2658)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
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JAMA Ophthalmology