US EditionAstigmatism on the rise in kids after COVID-19
- A population-based cross-sectional study, the Hong Kong Children Eye Study , examined 21,655 schoolchildren aged 6 to 8 years in Hong Kong from 2015 to 2023, finding an increase in astigmatism prevalence after the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The study aimed to determine the prevalence of refractive astigmatism and corneal astigmatism in schoolchildren, exploring the associations between the pandemic and astigmatism.
- Researchers, including Ka Wai Kam, found that children assessed during the pandemic had a 20% higher odds of refractive astigmatism and a 26% increased risk of corneal astigmatism compared to those evaluated before the pandemic, even after adjusting for sociodemographic factors and parental astigmatism.
- Before the pandemic , the prevalence of refractive astigmatism at 1.0 D or more was 23.4%, increasing to 34.7% by 2022-23, while corneal astigmatism increased from 60% to 64.7% during the same period.
- The authors suggest that increased time on digital devices, extended school closures, and reduced outdoor activity during the pandemic may have contributed to the increased prevalence and severity of astigmatism, emphasizing the need for further research to understand the relationship between environmental factors and the pathophysiology of astigmatism to preserve children's eyesight and quality of life.
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The Conversation
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Astigmatism Increased in Kids After the COVID Pandemic
(MedPage Today) -- The prevalence and severity of refractive and corneal astigmatisms increased among children after the COVID-19 pandemic, a population-based cross-sectional study from Hong Kong showed. In a cohort of 21,655 children ages 6 to...
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