The Prevalence of Myopia Among Primary School Male Students in Bisha, Saudi Arabia

Background Myopia (shortsightedness) is considered a major health problem globally which has increased in the last few decades. This study aims to determine the prevalence of myopia and the associated risk factors among primary school students in Bisha, Saudi Arabia. Methods This descriptive cross-sectional study included 330 male students from five boys’ schools in Bisha city. Students underwent an interview questionnaire that composed of (sociodemographic data, risk factors, and ocular history). Students’ vision was assessed by an optometrist through the use of a Snellen chart and the result was converted to a Diopter unit (D). Myopia was defined as the spherical equivalent (SE) of ≤ - 0.5 D. Binomial statistical test was used to get a prevalence of myopia with a confidence interval (CI) of 95%. Chi-square analytical test was used to compare myopic and non-myopic groups on multiple variables. Results were considered statistically significant at p-value ≤ 0.05. Results The mean age of 330 male students was 11.29 ± 0.97. The prevalence of myopia was (32.7%, 95% CI: 27.7-38.1%), and the mean of the SE of participants was - 0.25 ± 0.60 D. Myopia prevalence was increased with age and school grade of participants (p ≤ 0.05). Students who spent a long time (more than three hours) on near activity are at risk of developing myopia (p ≤ 0.001). having one or both parents affected by myopia was not statistically significant with the prevalence of myopia (p = 0.175). Children who spent a long time outdoors tend to have a lower risk of myopia (p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion The study showed a high prevalence of myopia among schoolchildren in Bisha city. Therefore, it is recommended to plan for future screening programs for myopia.