High Prevalence of Astigmatism in Children after School Suspension during the COVID-19 Pandemic Is Associated with Axial Elongation.

ABSTRACT: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hong Kong Government enforced a "school from home" policy between February and September 2020. This cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of astigmatism and visual habits after the home confinement period. Vision screenings were conducted at three local government-funded primary schools in Hong Kong from October 2020 to December 2020. A total of 418 ethnically Chinese primary school children completed the eye examination and returned questionnaires concerning demographic information and visual habits. It was found that 46.5% (95% CI, 41.7-61.4%) of the children aged 8 to 11 years had astigmatism ≥ 0.75 D, which was predominately With-The-Rule astigmatism. The prevalence of astigmatism reported in these children i

SUBMITTER: Wong SC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9245603 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature