Effect of stress on convergence insufficiency symptom score (CISS) among optometrists and optometry students

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to measure stress levels and to assess its effect on clinical symptoms related to non‑strabismic binocular vision disorders among optometrists and optometry students in India. Material and methods: This study aimed to assess the effect of stress on convergence insufficiency symptom score (CISS) among optometrists and optometry students aged 18 to 30 years. An ocular screening of the 50 subjects was done. A CISS survey was administered, followed by the objective assessment of various components of binocular vision. Finally, subjects were asked to fill out the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) stress questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the participants was 22.58 (±1.20) years (range = 18–30 years). Pearson’s correlation between the near point of convergence (NPC) and CISS score showed a negative relationship of –0.010 (p = 0.948), that is, there’s no linear relationship between the two variables. NPC, when correlated with the K10 scale, showed no linear relationship between the two (–0.145, p = 0.233). There was no significant difference in other parameters, including accommodation, vergences, heterophorias, and accommodative convergence/accommodation (AC/A) ratio. The correlation of stress with CISS was statistically insignificant (p = 0.90). Conclusion: This cross-sectional study, including 50 optometrists and optometry students, showed that the effect of stress on the CISS was not statistically significant (p = 0.90). This concludes that the result of the responses to the CISS questionnaire is not answered under the influence of stress.