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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Objective: Low levels of outdoor activity are known to be an important risk factor for the development of myopia in schoolchildren. This study aimed to determine outdoor and near-work patterns in Polish schoolchildren before and during school closure due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Methods: All children undergoing a routine pediatric examination in the Elbląg branch of the Hygeia Clinic, together with their parents, were asked to fill out an anonymous questionnaire. The subject’s age, spherical equivalent (SE) refractive error, time spent outdoors, screen time, and total near work hours per day before and during the pandemic, were recorded. As substantial differences in physical activity by time of year were reported, activity patterns for June (summer) and December (winter) were recorded. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between the presence of myopia and outdoor and total near-work time at different time points. Results: A total of 61 schoolchildren aged 11.95 ± 2.74 (range 7 to 17) years were included in this study. The mean SE in the right eye was -1.78 ± 2.11 with 46% of the individuals (n=28) classified as myopic. Before the pandemic, higher time outdoors was associated with less myopic SE (OR=0.47, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.24 to 0.93). During the pandemic, time outdoors among non-myopic children was similar to myopic children, both during winter and summer months (2.18 ± 1.81 vs. 1.89 ± 1.50; P=.51, and 3.47 ± 2.66 vs. 3.31 ± 1.65; P=.79 respectively). Time outdoors was not significantly associated with myopia during the pandemic (OR=1.17, 95% CI 0.64 to 2.14). Total near work was not associated with myopia at any time point. Conclusion: The long-term influence of the changing patterns of outdoor and near work on myopia prevalence and progression in our population is still to be established. Nevertheless, it is likely that the decrease in outdoor time may influence the rates of myopia in this region.
Description
Keywords
Ophthalmology Myopia Refractive error SARS-CoV-2 Outdoor time Screen time Children Pandemics
Citation
Kanclerz P, Lança C, Radomski SA, Nowak MS. The outdoor time in non-myopic children has decreased to that of myopic children during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Rom J Ophthalmol. 2023;67(1):33-40.
Publisher
Romanian Society of Ophthalmology