The Influence of Parents' Background and Their Perception on the Progression of Myopia in Children

PURPOSE: To study the influence of parents' educational backgrounds and understanding on the progress of myopia in their offspring. METHODS: Spherical equivalent refraction (SE) of the children (aged 6–14) in China was assessed with cycloplegic autorefraction in a two-year longitudinal study. The parents' background information and myopia-related cognition were collected by questionnaires. RESULTS: The offspring of parents with lower education and more myopic SE had higher myopic progression (mean = –1.42 ± 1.06) than the children of other groups (P < 0.05). The parents' understanding of the proper outdoor activity time, sleep duration, reading distance, and indoor illumination for children was not significantly correlated with the progression of myopia in their offspring. The parent's preference for eye care visit frequency had a significant correlation with the myopia development of their children (r = 0.076, P=0.001(∗)). The mean SE progression was −0.84 ± 1.37 and −0.58 ± 1.29 in the children whose parents considered that extracurricular classes would negatively affect myopia development progression and the children whose parents believed it would not, respectively (P=0.026(∗)). CONCLUSIONS: Most parents misunderstand the influence of insufficient outdoor sports time and extracurricular classes, which require extra near-vision work. Besides, for parents with low educational background and more myopic SE, their offspring had higher myopia progression and may be the key group for myopia control. Finally, parents may obtain life advice and knowledge related to preventing myopia after their children become myopic. It may be of positive significance if this process could take place before myopia onset.