Myopia in the COVID-19 Pandemic Period in Young Adults: The Sample of Turkey-Zonguldak

Authors : Pınar KAYA, Cemile ÜÇGÜL ATILGAN

Pages : 241-246

Doi:10.29058/mjwbs.1300076

View : 38 | Download : 47

Publication Date : 2023-08-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Aim: Investigating the relationship between the development and progression of myopia and digital screen time in young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and Methods: This single-centered, retrospective study included 106 young adults aged 18- 25 years, followed up in January-March 2019, 2020, and 2021. The patients were divided into two groups: emmetrope and myopia according to their baseline refractive values. The association between spherical equivalent refraction insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(SER); values and digital screen time before and during the pandemic was evaluated. Results: The mean age of 59 patients‘ insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(69.5% female); in the emmetrope group was 20.7±2.0, and 20.6±2.3 years of 47 patients insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(68.1% female); in the myopia group insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p=0.422, p=0.877, respectively);. The patients were reported to spend more time on digital devices in both groups insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p<0.001);. Before the pandemic, the SER value did not differ between 2019 and 2020, but the average annual change in SER was -0.19±0.34 D in the pandemic between 2020-2021 for the emmetrope group insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p<0.001);.The mean annual change of SER was -0.08±0.19 D between 2019-2020 and -0.21±0.26 D in the myopia group during the pandemic insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(p=0.015);. The annual change of SER was under 0.50 D for both, and a significant correlation was not detected between the increase in digital screen time and the change in SER in the emmetropic and myopic groups. Conclusion: The increased usage of digital devices during the pandemic is not associated with a myopic shift in young adults. Although no correlation was found, a shift to myopia was detected in both groups during the pandemic.
Keywords : Erişkin miyopisi, COVİD 19 pandemisi, dijital ekran, miyopi, miyopi progresyonu