Association between vision impairment and depression, anxiety and quality of life among secondary school students in rural China

Myopia, the leading cause of vision impairment in children, delays development in various skills. Despite this, only a small percentage of children in rural western China have necessary spectacles.

This study explores the link between vision impairment, mental health and attitudes towards myopia in rural Northwestern China, and includes a randomized controlled trial protocol to assess the impact of providing free glasses on secondary school children's mental health. The research involved two systematic reviews examining the correlation between vision impairment, ocular morbidity, treatment, and mental health outcomes and quality of life (QoL); a cross-sectional study assessing the mental health and quality of life of vision-impaired children in Northwestern China during COVID-19; and a mixed-methods study exploring stakeholders' attitudes towards myopia, glasses-wearing, and their impact on academic performance and career paths in rural Ningxia.