Journal of Ophthalmic and Optometric Sciences

Purpose: To assess risk factors associated with high myopia among school-going children in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, attending a tertiary eye care hospital.
Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among 386 patients younger than 18 years diagnosed with myopia. A pre-validated questionnaire was administered through interviews; for children under 6 years, responses were obtained from parents. Information was collected on demographics, duration of spectacle use, study hours at school and home, near-work activities, and daily outdoor activity. Logistic regression was used to analyze potential risk factors, and results were reported as odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: High myopia was present in 10.9% (n = 42) of participants. Most children with high myopia (69.04%) attended private schools. A positive parental history of spectacle use was significantly associated with high myopia (p = 0.03). Studying or reading for more than 4 hours per day (p = 0.01) and playing video or mobile games for more than 2 hours daily (p = 0.001) were positively associated with high myopia. Outdoor activity for more than 2 hours per day showed an inverse association, with fewer children with high myopia engaging in extended outdoor play.
Conclusion: Our results indicate statistical associations between behavioral patterns, environmental exposures, and high myopia in school-going children. These associations should be interpreted with caution given the hospital-based, cross-sectional design. Identifying potentially modifiable behaviors may inform preventive strategies, though longitudinal studies are required to establish temporal or causal relationships.

Reliable, well-structured medical databases underpin evidence-based practice, clinical research, and health policy. International platforms such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science enable efficient data synthesis, systematic reviews, and trend analysis. In Iran, national databases including SID (Scientific Information Database), Magiran, and IranMedex were established to index domestic scientific output. Despite initial promise, these platforms currently lack the efficiency, accuracy, and interoperability needed for high-quality ophthalmic research¹.

Iranian ophthalmologists have made notable contributions in areas such as refractive surgery, glaucoma, and corneal disorders. However, deficiencies in national databases limit the visibility, reproducibility, and clinical translation of local studies. This editorial highlights key structural issues and proposes targeted reforms.