A survey of public eye-care behavior and myopia education

Front Public Health. 2025 Feb 18:13:1518956. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1518956. eCollection 2025.

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of myopia, analyze public eye care behaviors, eye protective practices, and concerns regarding myopia among different age demographics. It also aimed to provide suggestions for improving the dissemination of science popularization about myopia, taking into account different age groups.

Methods: Between May 2022 and July 2022, we gathered data from participants through online questionnaire surveys and subsequently analyzed the collected responses.

Results: The research encompassed a total of 393 individuals, out of which 331 were identified as having myopia. The chi-square test revealed significant correlations between myopia and age (χ2 = 18.7, P = 0.002), comprehensiveness of eye examinations (χ2 = 5.0, P = 0.025), and adherence to the "20-20-20" rule (χ2 = 6.1, P = 0.014). Furthermore, there were notable variations in the frequency and comprehensiveness of eye examinations (χ2 = 14.0, P = 0.016), adherence to the "20-20-20" rule (χ2 = 25.267, P < 0.001), and levels of concern regarding myopia (χ2 = 63.8, P < 0.001) observed across different age groups. Participants aged 17 and below demonstrated a primary interest in acquiring fundamental knowledge about myopia. The 18-25 age group expressed a particular interest in strategies for managing myopia. Conversely, people between the ages of 36-45 are more concerned about whether the many rumors about myopia that have not been medically proven, such as "myopia can be cured," are true.

Conclusion: As the policies and awareness regarding myopia improve, younger people are adopting better eye-care behaviors in comparison to older populations. Enhancing visual health and reducing the occurrence of myopia requires the improvement of age-appropriate science popularization.

Keywords: age; knowledge requirement; myopia; questionnaire survey; science popularization.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Female
  • Health Behavior*
  • Health Education*
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myopia* / epidemiology
  • Myopia* / prevention & control
  • Prevalence
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 82371067); Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan Biomedical Technology Support Special Project (Grant No. 23S31900500); Target Commission of China Hospital Development Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Grant No. CHDI-2022-DX-02); Shanghai “Rising Stars” Young Medical Talents Cultivation Program (20244Z0005); Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health Excellence Research Program; and the Undergraduate Training Program on Innovation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (Grant No. 1824026); the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (STCSM), Shanghai “Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan” (24DZ2300500); China Association for Science and Technology, “Zhihui action · Hundred county village line.”