Objective To understand the refraction status of pupils in a migrant school and a public school in Huacao community, Shanghai City, so as to provide the evidence for ametropia prevention and control.Methods The visual acuity, refraction and questionnaire surveys were conducted among 2 076 students from a migrant school and 1 327 pupils from a public school, and the results including the refraction status and influencing factors were analyzed.Results The poor eyesight rate was 43.74% in the migrant school pupils, which was less than that (48.43%) in the public school pupils. The rate of wearing glasses was 16.85% in the migrant school pupils, which was less than that (29.17%) in the public school pupils. The poor eyesight rate of the pupils increased with the rise of the grades in the two schools. The emmetropia rate was 58.50% in the migrant school pupils, which was more than that (52.41%) in the public school pupils. The myopia rate was 28.90% in the migrant school pupils, which was less than that (32.14%) in the public school pupils. The presbyopia rate was 12.60% in the migrant school pupils, which was less than that (15.45%) in the public school pupils. The presbyopia rate and emmetropia rate of the pupils decreased with the rise of the grades in the two schools, but the low myopia rate and moderate myopia rate of the pupils increased with the rise of the grades. The multivariate non-conditional logistic analysis of poor vision showed that the longtime outdoor activity was a protective factor, but parental myopia, longtime daily homework, over bow, and close watching TV and computer were independent risk factors (P＜0.05).Conclusion The poor eyesight rate is relatively high in the pupils in Huacao community. Therefore, the vision refractive development files should be established in all the students in the community, and the annual inspection should be conducted. At the same time, the parents, community doctors, teachers, and students should work together to improve the myopia prevention and control.