Department of Ophthalmology, Hygeia Clinic, Gdansk, Poland.
Helsinki Retina Research Group, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Rom J Ophthalmol. 2023 Jan-Mar;67(1):33-40. doi: 10.22336/rjo.2023.6.
Low levels of outdoor activity are known to be an important risk factor for the development of myopia in schoolchildren. This study aimed to determine outdoor and near work patterns in Polish schoolchildren before and during school closure due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. All children undergoing a routine pediatric examination in the Elbląg branch of the Hygeia Clinic, together with their parents, were asked to fill an anonymous questionnaire. The subject's age, spherical equivalent (SE) refractive error, time spent outdoors, screen time and total near work in hours per day before and during the pandemic, were recorded. As substantial differences in physical activity by time of year were reported, activity patterns for June (summer) and December (winter) were recorded. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between the presence of myopia and outdoor and total near work time at different timepoints. A total of 61 schoolchildren aged 11.95 ± 2.74 (range 7 to 17) years were included in this study. The mean SE in the right eye was -1.78 ± 2.11 with 46% of the individuals (n=28) classified as myopic. Before the pandemic, higher time outdoors was associated with less myopic SE (OR=0.47, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.24 to 0.93). During the pandemic, time outdoors among non-myopic children was similar to myopic children, both during winter and summer months (2.18 ± 1.81 vs. 1.89 ± 1.50; =.51, and 3.47 ± 2.66 vs. 3.31 ± 1.65; =.79 respectively). Time outdoors was not significantly associated with myopia during the pandemic (OR=1.17, 95% CI 0.64 to 2.14). Total near work was not associated with myopia at any time point. The long-term influence of the changing patterns of outdoor and near work on myopia prevalence and progression in our population is still to be established. Nevertheless, it is likely that the decrease of outdoor time may influence the rates of myopia in this region.
户外活动水平低是导致学童近视的一个重要危险因素。本研究旨在确定波兰学童在因 SARS-CoV-2 大流行而关闭学校之前和期间的户外活动和近距工作模式。在海吉亚诊所埃隆格分支进行常规儿科检查的所有儿童及其父母都被要求填写一份匿名问卷。记录了受试者的年龄、球镜等效（SE）屈光不正、户外活动时间、屏幕时间和每天的总近距工作时间，分别在疫情前和疫情期间。由于报告的户外活动时间因年份而异，因此记录了 6 月（夏季）和 12 月（冬季）的活动模式。使用多因素逻辑回归分析来分析不同时间点近视与户外活动和总近距工作时间之间的关联。 本研究共纳入 61 名年龄为 11.95±2.74 岁（7 至 17 岁）的在校儿童。右眼 SE 的平均值为-1.78±2.11，其中 46%的个体（n=28）被归类为近视。在大流行之前，较高的户外活动时间与较低的近视 SE 相关（OR=0.47，95%置信区间 [CI] 0.24 至 0.93）。在大流行期间，非近视儿童的户外活动时间与近视儿童相似，无论是在冬季还是夏季（2.18±1.81 vs. 1.89±1.50；=.51，3.47±2.66 vs. 3.31±1.65；=.79）。在大流行期间，户外活动时间与近视无显著相关性（OR=1.17，95% CI 0.64 至 2.14）。任何时间点的总近距工作都与近视无关。 户外活动和近距工作模式的长期变化对我国人群近视患病率和进展的影响仍有待确定。然而，户外活动时间的减少可能会影响该地区的近视率。
