ABSTRACT
Purpose : To explore whether the COVID-19 lockdown increased the incidence of myopia among age-school children. Methods : Retrospective study recruiting children aged 5-12. Selection: random. Inclusion criteria: healthy children presenting for an eye exam since 2016. Exclusion criteria: presence of ocular comorbidities other than refractive error, spherical equivalent (SE) less than -4D or greater than +4D, BCVA less than 20/20, blepharoptosis, media opacities, corneal or retinal dystrophies, strabismus, amblyopia, nystagmus, or concurrent therapy with atropine 0.01%. Outcome measure: age measured in months, SE of the right eye (RE) measured in diopters (D) under cycloplegia (cyclopentolate 1%). Statistical analysis: ANOVA, Chi-square, Tukey's test. Significance: p < .05. Results : A total of 803 children. In the years prior to COVID-19, the mean SE ± SD diopters in the RE: 0.54 ± 1.49 D in 2016 (n = 160), 0.43 ± 1.84 D in 2017 (n = 145), 0.34 ± 1.41 D in 2018 (n = 152), 0.35 ± 1.75 D in 2019 (n = 166) (ANOVA, p = .659) (Fig. 1). In 2021 (n = 180), the mean SE was -0.08 ± 1.44 D (ANOVA, p = .005). Using the Tukey's test, the mean SE of 2021 changed by -0.619 D 95% CI [-1.091, -0.147] and -0.501 D 95% CI [-0.986, -0.016] as compared to the SE of 2016 and 2017, respectively (Fig. 2). Mean age was comparable in all groups (ANOVA, p = .307). The decrease of the mean SE of the 2021 group corresponds to an increase in the percentage of myopes (≤-0.5D) and a decrease in the percentage of hyperopes (≥ 2D). Myopes represent the 24.10% of children aged 60-96 months, and 63.86% of children aged 97-144 months. Hyperopes represent 9.64% of children aged 60-96 months, and 6.02% of children aged 97-144 months. This represents a statistically-significant increase in the number of myopes (Chi-square, p = .016) and decrease in the number of hyperopes (Chi-square, p = .001), as compared to the previous years (2016- 2019). Conclusions : This retrospective study shows a statistically-significant decrease in the mean SE in children aged 5-12 in the year following the COVID-19 lockdown (2021). The percentage of myopes has increased significantly, while the percentage of hyperopes has decreased. Children aged 8-12 years showed the greatest refractive change. The lifestyle changes imposed by the lockdown were likely responsible for the increased prevalence of myopia observed in 2021.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: During the Covid-19 pandemic, many governments promoted the adoption and development of telework to reduce some of the consequences of the current health crisis on the economy and favor social distancing. The aim of this web-based cross-sectional study was to assess the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic on job organization, exploring the effects of lockdown measures on the psychological distress and perceived well-being of workers experiencing telework. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A web-based cross-sectional survey has been used to collect data. The participants answered the questionnaire from April 1 to April 30, 2020. The questionnaire consisted of three sections, which investigated: 1) demographic and occupational variables, 2) lifestyle and habits variables, 3) psychological distress and perceived well-being. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) has been used to evaluate psychological distress and the 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) to explore subjective well-being. RESULTS: Psychological distress was associated with educational level, with habits, and with reporting poor well-being. Poor well-being was associated with a higher job demand during pandemic, lifestyle and habits variables, and psychological distress. CONCLUSIONS: This is one of the first studies exploring the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures on the perceived well-being and psychological distress of workers experiencing telework. It is mandatory to pay more and more attention to the mental health of teleworkers, considering the increasing diffusion and adoption of this type of work organization.