High Prevalence of Symptomatic Dry Eye Disease Among University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic in University of West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago
Ngozika Ezinne,1 Haile W Alemu,2 Tarekegn Cheklie,2 Kingsley Ekemiri,1 Ryan Mohammed,1 Sakeem James1 1Optometry Unit, Department of Clinical Surgical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Saint Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies; 2Department of Optometry, College of Medicine and H...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Dove Medical Press
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Clinical Optometry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/high-prevalence-of-symptomatic-dry-eye-disease-among-university-studen-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-OPTO |
| _version_ | 1811159727735832576 |
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| author | Ezinne N Alemu HW Cheklie T Ekemiri K Mohammed R James S |
| author_facet | Ezinne N Alemu HW Cheklie T Ekemiri K Mohammed R James S |
| author_sort | Ezinne N |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ngozika Ezinne,1 Haile W Alemu,2 Tarekegn Cheklie,2 Kingsley Ekemiri,1 Ryan Mohammed,1 Sakeem James1 1Optometry Unit, Department of Clinical Surgical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Saint Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies; 2Department of Optometry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Tarekegn Cheklie, Email tarekegncheklie2691@gmail.comBackground: The Covid-19 pandemic lockdown obligated higher education students to attend online courses, leading to prolonged exposure to digital displays. Excessive time on digital devices could be a risk factor for ocular problems, including symptomatic dry eye. There are limited evidences to show the magnitude of symptomatic dry eye disease and its associated factors during COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to fill this gap, among university students in Trinidad and Tobago.Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students attending the University of West Indies, Saint Augustine Campus from October 2020 to April 2021. The standardized ocular surface disease index questionnaire, descriptive statics and binary logistic regression were used to assess the prevalence and associated factors of dry eye diseases. Variables with a p-value of less than 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant.Results: Four hundred (96.3%) participants completed the questionnaire. Among all, 64.8% were female and 50.5% were east Indians. About 48% were using visual display units for average of 10– 15 hours/day. The prevalence of symptomatic dry eye disease was 84.3% (95% CI = 80.8– 87.5%) with OSDI score ≥ 13. Lack of education about dry eye 2.69 (95% CI: 1.41– 5.13), use of the reading mode of computer 3.92 (95% CI: 1.57– 9.80), refractive error 3.20 (95% CI: 1.66– 6.20), previous systemic medications 2.80 (95% CI: 1.15– 6.81), and average hours of visual display unit use/day (p< 0.001) were significantly associated with symptomatic dry eye disease.Conclusion: Symptomatic dry eye disease was a prominent problem among students at the University of West Indies. Average of > 4 hours of visual display unit use/day, refractive error, positive history of systemic medication, lack of education about dry eye, and using computers in reading mode were associated factors.Keywords: symptomatic dry eye disease, prevalence, associated factors, West Indies, Caribbean |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:46:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-19051b5bfb8a4dd19e5be7d797467118 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1179-2752 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:46:07Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Dove Medical Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical Optometry |
| spelling | doaj.art-19051b5bfb8a4dd19e5be7d7974671182023-03-05T15:01:09ZengDove Medical PressClinical Optometry1179-27522023-03-01Volume 15374382013High Prevalence of Symptomatic Dry Eye Disease Among University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic in University of West Indies, Trinidad and TobagoEzinne NAlemu HWCheklie TEkemiri KMohammed RJames SNgozika Ezinne,1 Haile W Alemu,2 Tarekegn Cheklie,2 Kingsley Ekemiri,1 Ryan Mohammed,1 Sakeem James1 1Optometry Unit, Department of Clinical Surgical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Saint Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies; 2Department of Optometry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Tarekegn Cheklie, Email tarekegncheklie2691@gmail.comBackground: The Covid-19 pandemic lockdown obligated higher education students to attend online courses, leading to prolonged exposure to digital displays. Excessive time on digital devices could be a risk factor for ocular problems, including symptomatic dry eye. There are limited evidences to show the magnitude of symptomatic dry eye disease and its associated factors during COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to fill this gap, among university students in Trinidad and Tobago.Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students attending the University of West Indies, Saint Augustine Campus from October 2020 to April 2021. The standardized ocular surface disease index questionnaire, descriptive statics and binary logistic regression were used to assess the prevalence and associated factors of dry eye diseases. Variables with a p-value of less than 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant.Results: Four hundred (96.3%) participants completed the questionnaire. Among all, 64.8% were female and 50.5% were east Indians. About 48% were using visual display units for average of 10– 15 hours/day. The prevalence of symptomatic dry eye disease was 84.3% (95% CI = 80.8– 87.5%) with OSDI score ≥ 13. Lack of education about dry eye 2.69 (95% CI: 1.41– 5.13), use of the reading mode of computer 3.92 (95% CI: 1.57– 9.80), refractive error 3.20 (95% CI: 1.66– 6.20), previous systemic medications 2.80 (95% CI: 1.15– 6.81), and average hours of visual display unit use/day (p< 0.001) were significantly associated with symptomatic dry eye disease.Conclusion: Symptomatic dry eye disease was a prominent problem among students at the University of West Indies. Average of > 4 hours of visual display unit use/day, refractive error, positive history of systemic medication, lack of education about dry eye, and using computers in reading mode were associated factors.Keywords: symptomatic dry eye disease, prevalence, associated factors, West Indies, Caribbeanhttps://www.dovepress.com/high-prevalence-of-symptomatic-dry-eye-disease-among-university-studen-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-OPTOsymptomatic dry eye diseaseprevalenceassociated factorswest indiescaribbean |
| spellingShingle | Ezinne N Alemu HW Cheklie T Ekemiri K Mohammed R James S High Prevalence of Symptomatic Dry Eye Disease Among University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic in University of West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago Clinical Optometry symptomatic dry eye disease prevalence associated factors west indies caribbean |
| title | High Prevalence of Symptomatic Dry Eye Disease Among University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic in University of West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago |
| title_full | High Prevalence of Symptomatic Dry Eye Disease Among University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic in University of West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago |
| title_fullStr | High Prevalence of Symptomatic Dry Eye Disease Among University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic in University of West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago |
| title_full_unstemmed | High Prevalence of Symptomatic Dry Eye Disease Among University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic in University of West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago |
| title_short | High Prevalence of Symptomatic Dry Eye Disease Among University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic in University of West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago |
| title_sort | high prevalence of symptomatic dry eye disease among university students during the covid 19 pandemic in university of west indies trinidad and tobago |
| topic | symptomatic dry eye disease prevalence associated factors west indies caribbean |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/high-prevalence-of-symptomatic-dry-eye-disease-among-university-studen-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-OPTO |
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