UNASSIGNED: We conducted a retrospective chart review of children aged 6 - 12 years attending regular visits to the pediatric ophthalmology clinic in a tertiary eye hospital in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Cycloplegic refraction was determined from three visits at least six months apart: two visits before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and one during the COVID-19 home confinement. Parents were asked about the time spent in near-work and outdoor activities, the devices used during virtual learning, and the demographic characteristics of the children. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare myopia progression before and during the COVID-19 home confinement.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 160 eyes of 80 children were analyzed. The boy (n = 46) to girl (n = 34) ratio was 1.4:1. The hyperopia (n = 131 eyes) to myopia (n = 29 eyes) ratio was 4.5:1. Most eyes exhibited a hyperopic shift before the confinement; however, all eyes displayed a myopic shift during the confinement. When comparing both eyes of the same individual, the more myopic or less hyperopic eye in the same child had a significantly greater myopic shift than the fellow eye (both P < 0.05). Children who used tablets showed a significant myopic shift (P < 0.05). Likewise, children in both age categories ( ≤ 8 and > 8 years), boys, those living in an apartment, and those having parents with bachelor\'s degrees experienced a significant myopic shift during COVID-19 home confinement compared to before (all P < 0.05). The mean myopic shift was greater in children aged > 8 years than in those aged ≤ 8 years. Children with and without a family history of myopia had a myopic shift in the mean spherical equivalent during COVID-19 home confinement; however, that of children with no family history was statistically significant (P < 0.05).
UNASSIGNED: Progression of myopia accelerated in children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Excessive time spent on digital screen devices at near distances is considered a substantial environmental contributor to myopic shift in children. Further multicenter studies with extended follow-up periods are needed to assess the factors contributing to myopic progression in our population.
我们对在东部省三级眼科医院定期访问儿科眼科诊所的6-12岁儿童进行了回顾性图表审查,沙特阿拉伯。从间隔至少六个月的三次就诊中确定了膀胱麻痹屈光:COVID-19大流行开始前的两次就诊和COVID-19家庭分娩期间的一次就诊。家长被问及近距离工作和户外活动的时间,虚拟学习过程中使用的设备,以及儿童的人口特征。进行了统计分析,以比较COVID-19家庭禁闭前后的近视进展。
■共分析了80名儿童的160只眼。男孩(n=46)与女孩(n=34)的比例为1.4:1。远视(n=131眼)与近视(n=29眼)的比率为4.5:1。大多数眼睛在禁闭前表现出远视的变化;然而,在分娩期间,所有的眼睛都显示出近视的变化。当比较同一个人的双眼时,同一儿童近视程度较高或远视眼的近视偏移明显大于同侧眼(均P<0.05)。使用片剂的儿童表现出明显的近视改变(P<0.05)。同样,两个年龄段的儿童(≤8岁和>8岁),男孩们,那些住在公寓里的人,父母拥有学士学位的人在COVID-19家庭分娩期间与以前相比发生了明显的近视转变(均P<0.05)。>8岁儿童的平均近视偏移大于≤8岁儿童。在COVID-19家庭分娩期间,有和没有近视家族史的儿童的平均球面当量有近视变化;然而,无家族史的患儿有统计学意义(P<0.05)。
■在COVID-19大流行期间,儿童近视的进展加速。在近距离的数字屏幕设备上花费的过多时间被认为是儿童近视转变的重要环境因素。需要进一步的多中心研究,并延长随访时间,以评估导致我们人群近视进展的因素。