The Prevalence and Risk Factors of Abnormal Vision Among Preschool Children.

Abstract

The presence of abnormal visionduringearly childhoodhas been shown to have a substantial impact onthe development of visual, motor, and cognitive functions,potentiallyresulting inlong-term adverse psychosocialoutcomes. The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and associated risk factors of abnormal vision among preschool children aged 4-6 years in Shaoxing, China. A cross-sectional study was conducted from Marchto May 2023 in Shaoxing, involving a sample of 9913 children within the specified age range. Parents wereinterviewed using a structuredquestionnaire thatgathered information on sociodemographic characteristics and other relevant factors. Thestudyrevealed that 14.4% of participants hadabnormal vision. Logistic regression analysisindicated thatindividuals whowatchedTV for more than 3hoursdaily hada 2.206 times higherlikelihoodof developing abnormal vision (P<0.05).Additional risk factors for abnormal vision included watching TV at a distance of less than 3 meters, misalignment of eyes and screen while watching TV, early exposure to electronic devices before the age of 2, parents are unaware of theimpact of chewing on eye development, andlack of promotion ofgood eye habits in children(P < 0.05). An associationwas foundbetween parent'sand children's refractive error (P < 0.05), withgood family lighting and a balanced dietary structurebeing identified as protective factors against abnormal vision. The study concluded that exposure to electronic products was a significant factor in the developmentof abnormal vision among children aged 4-6. Furthermore, family environment and geneticpredisposition were also found to influence vision. Regular ocular screenings and early interventionsmay be effective inpreventingabnormal vision.