Prevalence of refractive errors in Tibetan adolescents

Abstract

BackgroundThe prevalence of adolescent eye disease in remote areas of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has rarely been reported. To understand the prevalence of common eye diseases in Tibet, we performed ocular-disease screening on students from primary and secondary schools in Tibet, and compared the prevalence to that in the Central China Plain (referred to here as the “plains area”).MethodsThe refractive status of students was evaluated with a Spot™ vision screener. The test was conducted three or fewer times for both eyes of each student and results with best correction were recorded.ResultsA total of 3246 students from primary and secondary schools in the Tibet Naidong district were screened, yielding a refractive error rate of 28.51%, which was significantly lower than that of the plains group (28.51% vs. 56.92%, p < 0.001). In both groups, the prevalence of refractive errors among females was higher than that among males.ConclusionsWe found that Tibetan adolescents had a lower prevalence of refractive errors than did adolescents in the plains area, which may be related to less intensive schooling and greater exposure to sunlight.

Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents at Altitudes over 3500 Meters: A Cross-Sectional Study in Tibet

“…The unique conditions of the plateau environment include low air pressure, low oxygen levels, dryness, cold weather, intense solar infrared, and ultraviolet radiation, etc. [ 24 ]. These characteristics are inherently detrimental to human survival since they affect the human body and lifestyle.…”

“…It is well known that living at altitudes above 3000 m can have an impact on the human body [ 22 , 23 ]. As a result, congenital heart disease, hypertension, and other diseases have high morbidity in Tibet and may be influenced by the extreme living environments [ 24 ]. The plateau environment not only impacts the human body but also lifestyles, and thus may also affect PA. Several studies have reported on the growth and development characteristics of children and adolescents in Tibet [ 25 , 26 ], as well as the related situations of eye diseases [ 24 ], rickets/Kaschin-Beck disease [ 27 , 28 ], and nutrition [ 29 , 30 , 31 ].…”

Prevalence and associated risk factors for childhood strabismus in Lhasa, Tibet, China: a cross-sectional, school-based study

“…The potential influence of ethnic, environmental, lifestyle and genetic susceptibility differences [ 16 ] is still unclear. Qian reported that the prevalence of ocular disease differences in Tibet may relate to more exposure to sunlight and easier schooling [ 29 ] Whether Tibetan children have a higher prevalence of strabismus requires further investigation. Secondly, different age ranges across the different studies may play an important role [ 3 , 16 ].…”

“…The reason for this probably relates to the status of refraction; the distribution of the cycloplegic SE of esotropia in LCES tend to be hyperopia, which was consistent with the finding that exotropia was associated with astigmatism, myopia and low to moderate hyperopia, while esotropia was associated with hyperopia in a dose-response manner [ 16 , 30 , 31 ]. Qian also found that Tibetan adolescents had a lower prevalence of refractive errors than the plains (central China) area except for hyperopia, and also suggested that the rate of hyperopia in Tibet is higher [ 29 ]. As we show here, in the present LCES study the prevalence of hyperopia was higher at 6.91%.…”

Refractive errors and visual impairment among children and adolescents in southernmost China

“…87.65%, Eastern China) (17) Guangzhou (69.9%, Southern China) (17) Beijing (70.9%, Northern China) (18) Qingdao (52.02%, Eastern China (18), Chongqing (54.9%, Western China), and Tianjin (53.9%, Northern China) (19), but higher than Mangshi (35.9%,Western Rural China) (20) and Tibet 28.51%, Plateau of China(20). (Table 3)(Figure.…”