Clinical Profile of Refractive Errors Associated with Screen Time in Children Aged 5-15 Years in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Southern India during COVID Pandemic: A Prospective Study
Introduction: Refractive errors cannot be prevented, but it is important to detect them early to improve the quality of life and prevention of blindness. Refractive errors screening in children during Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was difficult task as they were high-risk group. I...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
JCDR Research and Publications Private Limited
2022-10-01
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Series: | Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://jcdr.net/articles/PDF/17089/56373_CE(AD)_F[SH]_PF1(AKA_SS)_PFA(SS)_PB(AKA_SS)_PN(SS).pdf |
Summary: | Introduction: Refractive errors cannot be prevented, but it is
important to detect them early to improve the quality of life and
prevention of blindness. Refractive errors screening in children
during Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was
difficult task as they were high-risk group. Increased near activity
due to online classes and smart devices usage may increase
the uncorrected refractive errors. The study emphasises on the
refractive errors screening during COVID pandemic.
Aim: To study the clinical profile of refractive errors of the children
aged 5-15 years in a tertiary care hospital in COVID pandemic in
association with screen time, outdoor activity, type of gadget,
amblyopia and educational status of mother.
Materials and Methods: This was a hospital based prospective
analytical study conducted in children 5-15 years attending the
Ophthalmology Outpatient Department of ESIC Medical College
and Hospital, Telangana, India, from May to October 2021.
Children were screened for refractive errors and compared with
the refractive errors data of different children of same age referred
from Paediatric Outpatient Department and who attended to
Ophthalmology Outpatient Department for regular eye checkup
in prepandemic time. Unaided visual acuity of all children
were measured with the help of Snellen’s chart. Children with
refractive errors underwent cycloplegic retinoscopy followed by postmydriatic test. Screen time and outdoor activity duration
were recorded. Interpretation and analysis of obtained results
was carried out using Statistical Package for Social Sciences
version 22.0 for descriptive statistics. Non parametric tests like
Pearson Chi-square test were used to express the qualitative
data. Data with p-value less than 0.05 was considered
statistically significant.
Results: A total of 790 children were screened out of which 358
(45.3%) presented with refractive error when compared with
the prepandemic prevalence 276 (34.9%) out of 790 children
screened, presented with the refractive error. A total of 118 (33%)
of the children presented with increased blink rate associated
with increased screen time and dry eye. Rate of progression of
more than 1D was observed in 44 (12.29%) of which myopia
28 (7.8%), astigmatism 10 (2.7%) and hypermetropia 6 (1.6%)
in six months. A total of 286 (79.8%) children presented with
myopia and 24 (6.7%) presented with hypermetropia, 48 (13.4%)
presented with astigmatism. A total of 258 (72.06%) presented
with screen time for four to seven hours and 32 (8.9%) children
presented with amblyopia.
Conclusion: Refractive errors increased due to smart classes
in schools or use of laptops, television viewing, computers or
mobiles. Hence, this reinforces the need to screen all the school
going children and children with the history of gadgets use. |
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ISSN: | 2249-782X 0973-709X |