Prevalence of Myopia Among Secondary School Students in Owerri, Imo State

Myopia, or shortsightedness, is the most common refractive error worldwide and its prevalence is increasing at an alarming rate, particularly among school-age children in urban settings. This study investigates the prevalence of myopia among secondary school students in Owerri, Imo State, located in the South East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. A cross-sectional design will be adopted, involving 450 students aged 11 to 18 years selected through multistage random sampling from six secondary schools across the Owerri Municipal and Owerri North local government areas. Visual acuity testing using Snellen charts will be conducted, followed by cycloplegic refraction to confirm myopia diagnosis. Autorefraction will also be employed for objective measurement. Questionnaires will capture data on near work habits, outdoor activity levels, parental myopia, and screen time, which are known environmental and genetic risk factors. Data analysis will employ logistic regression and chi-square tests. The study expects to find a significant association between high screen time, limited outdoor activity, and myopia prevalence. Results will be communicated to school administrators and the Imo State Ministry of Education to support targeted vision screening programs. This study adds to the growing body of evidence on myopia epidemiology in sub-Saharan Africa and provides critical baseline data for monitoring myopia progression among Nigerian secondary school students in the South East zone. Keywords: myopia, secondary school students, refractive error, Owerri, vision screening