OCULAR COMPLAINTS DURING COVID-19 LOCKDOWN AMONGST PRIVATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN SELANGOR, MALAYSIA

Abstract

Aim:COVID-19 lockdown has led to the emerging concept of studying from home. Research has shown that increased near visual work causes dry eye complaints. This study aims to determine the association between electronic device usage during the COVID-19 lockdown and ocular complaints among university students. Methods:Through convenience sampling, the 544 responses to an online survey were distributed to private university students in Selangor, Malaysia. Results: Analysis of the responses demonstrated a dramatic increase in the percentage of students who spent 5 hours and more on an electronic device from 44.8% before the lockdown to 94.1% during the lockdown. 83.3% of the participating students had symptoms of dry eye disease, and 54.1% were graded as severe. There was a statistically signicant association between age groups, race, and taking breaks between electronic device usage, room illumination, and OSDI severity. Conclusion: The results indicate that lockdown does have an impact on dry eye symptoms. On this basis, frequent breaks in between continuous usage of electronic devices should be cultivated. Further research with a larger sample size is needed to identify the association between the sociodemographic factors, electronic device usage-related factors, and the severity of dry eye symptoms