TY - JOUR
T1 - Myopia progression in children during home confinement in the COVID-19 pandemic
T2 - A systematic review and meta-analysis
AU - Laan, Daisy
AU - Tan, Emily T C
AU - Huis In Het Veld, Paulien I
AU - Jellema, Hinke Marijke
AU - Jenniskens, Kevin
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Spanish General Council of Optometry
PY - 2024/3
Y1 - 2024/3
N2 - PURPOSE: Myopia is a growing pandemic, especially in children, who risk low vision later in life. Home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic may have increased myopia progression through increased screentime, decreased time outdoors and increased near work activities. The aim of this study is to compare progression of myopia in children during home confinement period in the COVID-19 pandemic with pre-COVID-19 progression.METHODS: On January 2023 PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane were searched for relevant studies. Studies meeting the following criteria were eligible for inclusion: children (under 18 years), home confinement due to COVID-19, spherical equivalent refractive (SER) and axial length (AL) measurements and a follow-up period to measure progression. Quality appraisal was performed by two reviewers independently using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool for cohort studies. Outcomes for myopia were assessed through meta-analysis, analyzing SER (random effects) and AL (fixed effects).RESULTS: Hundred and two articles were identified in the search, of which five studies were included in the analysis. Risk of bias is moderate with a few critical flaws in the studies. Myopia progressed more rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-COVID-19 period, both in terms of SER (-0.83D [95 %CI, -1.22, -0.43] and AL (0.36 mm [95 %CI, 0.13, 0.39]).CONCLUSION: Progression of myopia during the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated more rapidly compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. Impact of home confinement on myopia may be considered when future lockdown measures are being contemplated.
AB - PURPOSE: Myopia is a growing pandemic, especially in children, who risk low vision later in life. Home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic may have increased myopia progression through increased screentime, decreased time outdoors and increased near work activities. The aim of this study is to compare progression of myopia in children during home confinement period in the COVID-19 pandemic with pre-COVID-19 progression.METHODS: On January 2023 PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane were searched for relevant studies. Studies meeting the following criteria were eligible for inclusion: children (under 18 years), home confinement due to COVID-19, spherical equivalent refractive (SER) and axial length (AL) measurements and a follow-up period to measure progression. Quality appraisal was performed by two reviewers independently using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool for cohort studies. Outcomes for myopia were assessed through meta-analysis, analyzing SER (random effects) and AL (fixed effects).RESULTS: Hundred and two articles were identified in the search, of which five studies were included in the analysis. Risk of bias is moderate with a few critical flaws in the studies. Myopia progressed more rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-COVID-19 period, both in terms of SER (-0.83D [95 %CI, -1.22, -0.43] and AL (0.36 mm [95 %CI, 0.13, 0.39]).CONCLUSION: Progression of myopia during the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated more rapidly compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. Impact of home confinement on myopia may be considered when future lockdown measures are being contemplated.
KW - Axial length
KW - Covid-19
KW - Home confinement
KW - Myopia
KW - Spherical equivalent
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85174745949&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.optom.2023.100493
DO - 10.1016/j.optom.2023.100493
M3 - Review article
C2 - 37879184
SN - 1989-1342
VL - 17
JO - Journal of optometry
JF - Journal of optometry
IS - 1
M1 - 100493
ER -