Changes in Refractive Error Under COVID-19: A 3-Year Follow-up Study.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

To investigate changes in refractive error in schoolchildren before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Methods

This study included 2792 students, who underwent a 3-year follow-up from 2018 to 2020. All participants underwent yearly noncycloplegic refraction and ocular examinations. Time-related changes in sphere, cylinder, and spherical equivalent (SE) measurements in both genders were analyzed.

Results

The myopic sphere (- 0.78 ± 1.83 vs. - 1.03 ± 1.91 D; P = 0.025) and SE (- 1.04 ± 1.90 vs. - 1.32 ± 1.99 D; P = 0.015) progressed significantly from 2018 to 2019. Female participants had a significantly greater change in SE than male participants (P < 0.05), and the low hyperopia, emmetropia, and mild myopia groups significantly d

SUBMITTER: Yang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9067555 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature