Abstract
BackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 has necessitate the routine use of masks worldwide. This study assessed the relationship between wearing a facemask and dry eye disease (DED) among a sample of medical students in Jordan.MethodsThis cross-sectional online survey enrolled medical students from all medical schools in Jordan. The questionnaire, which was shared via social media platforms, assessed sociodemographic information, ocular and medical history, facemask-wearing habits, the use of ocular devices, and the relationship with ocular discomfort. The ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire was also administered to quantify DED symptoms.ResultsA total of 1,219 students participated in this study. In total, 58.3% participants were females, and 52% were in the clinical science years. Symptomatic DED was found in 71.7% of participants. Female sex, basic science years, allergy reporting, and spending more than 6 h looking at screens were significantly associated with symptomatic DED.ConclusionWearing a facemask was not significantly associated with symptomatic DED. Further studies are needed to investigate the effect of wearing a facemask on the ocular surface.
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