Objective To investigate the visual acuity status of 17 362 college students in a university in Jiangsu Province and analyze the relevant influencing factors to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of poor vision a-mong students. Methods The 17 362 college students at a university in Jiangsu Province in grades 2016-2019 were ex-amined for their naked eye visual acuity using the E type international standard logarithmic visual acuity chart

and 1 081 college students were randomly selected among the study subjects to complete the relevant questionnaires. Results The detection rate of poor vision in the study subjects was 90.26%（15 671/17 362）

of which the detection rates of mild

moderate

and severe poor vision were 3.47%（602/17 362）

14.55%（2 526/17 362）

and 72.24%（12 543/17 362）

respectively. Single-factor analysis showed that there was a statistically significant（P<0.05） difference in the visual condition of patients having difference in terms of the visual acuity of their parents

gender

reading distance

and the time of using electronic screen per day

while there was no statistically significant（P>0.05） difference in the visual condition of survey respondents who differed in the time of daily exercise

eating habits

and the time of daily sleep. A-mong the respondents

86.49% were first diagnosed with myopia in primary and secondary schools

of whom 31.73% were first diagnosed with myopia in primary school

39.87% in junior high school and 14.89% in senior high school. Conclusion The high rate of poor vision detection among college students is closely related to excessive eye use in prima-ry and secondary schools as wells as the excessive use of electronic products

and the fundamental strategy to prevent and control myopia and reduce the rate of poor vision among college students should be to move the prevention and control gates forward and start cultivating good eye hygiene habits and awareness of eye care from a young age.