Another Insight Into COVID-19–Associated Nearsightedness

Musch discusses studies on COVID-19-associated nearsightedness. Pelligrini et al noted the possibility that prolonged home confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic could result in more myopia development and worsening of preexisting myopia among children. Wong et al reviewed studies that evaluated the association of myopia onset and progression with digital device use, near work, and outdoor time. Hu et al had access to cycloplegic refraction values collected on second- and third-grade students in Guangzhou China. The 3 studies varied somewhat in their definition of myopia, and information is lacking on factors consistently associated with myopia risk, such as the amount of daily time children spent outdoors, their screen time, or their near-work time, which would allow for associating these exposure variables with the myopia outcome. However, they do show consistent increases in measures of myopia from the pre-COVID-19 to the COVID-19 period wherein these risk factors were affected negatively.