Changes in Ocular Biological Parameters and the Physical Health Status of School-aged Children: A 2-year Cohort Study

We aim to investigate the associations between ocular biometry and physical health status in 313 children (aged 8–12) from two urban primary schools in Hefei, China. From 2019–2021, annual evaluations were conducted to measure ocular parameters in conjunction with body mass index (BMI), height, vital capacity, agility, flexibility, and strength. Myopia was classified as persistent, incident, or absent on the basis of changes in spherical equivalent refraction (SER). The prevalence of myopia increased markedly from 25.56% in 2019 to 72.20% in 2021. Significant increases were observed in axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), BMI, height, and strength metrics, whereas SER and flexibility decreased (r=0.085, p<0.05). Notably, changes in AL were negatively correlated with height and positively associated with vital capacity (r=-0.201, p<0.05; r=0.223, p<0.05), and improvements in sit-up performance were significantly linked to increases in the axial length-to-corneal radius ratio (AL/CR) (p< 0.05). These findings underscore the complex interplay between physical development and ocular growth, emphasizing the need for integrated strategies in myopia prevention. Public health interventions should consider the combined influence of lifestyle, physical fitness, and visual health to mitigate myopia progression.