A Study on the Spectacles-wearing in Korea - Cohort Observation -

우리나라 안경착용에 관한 연구 - 출생코호트별 관찰 -

To assess the proportion of spectacles-wearing and an aspect of familial aggregation of myoptic spectacles-wearing and to observe the birth cohort for myoptic spectacles-wearing, a nationwide self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted from March 11 to September 19, 1985 A probability sample of 13,346 persons was taken from 180 enumerated districts designated by the fifth nationwide tuberculosis prevalence survey from Korean Institute of Tuberculosis. The major findings of this survey are as follows: 1) Total of 62.5% of the study population lived in urban area whereas 37.5% lived in Eup-Myun area. There was statistically significant difference in age and sex distribution between two residential area. 2) The percentage of spectacles-wearing was 8.3% and among these, myoptic and hyperoptic spectacles were 6.0%, 2.3%, respectively. A total of 8.5% of the male study population wore spectacles and this was slightly higher than the female (8.0%). 3) Among the occupational groups, students were the highest myoptic spectacles-wearing group whereas professionals were the highest hyperoptic spectacles-wearing group. 4) The proportion of myoptic spectacles-wearing was higher in female students than in male students respectively 11.6%, 8.7%. There was an increasing tendency of spectacles-wearing as age increased. 5) The age-sex adjusted prevalence rate of myoptic spectacles-wearing by residential areas was 2 times higher in urban area than Eup-Myun area 6) A wearing of the myoptic spectacles in early age was observed in recent birth cohort than remote birth cohort. 7) There was a tendency of familial aggregation for myoptic spectacles-wearing. The proportion of myoptic spectacles-wearing was 6 times higher for those who had parents wearing spectacles. 8) 60.9% of the total myoptic spectacles-wearing persons received the eye-specialist's order and 44. 9% for the hyperoptic spectacles wearing.