Prevalence of Myopia and Its Related Factors Among University Students in Madinah, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Myopia, a common refractive error, is a growing global health burden influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Despite its high prevalence, studies on its prevalence and risk factors among university students are lacking.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study is to investigate the prevalence of myopia and its associated factors among college students in Saudi Arabia's Madinah region.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia, from February to June 2023, utilizing a survey that was distributed to college students through a social media application.

RESULTS

A total of 433 university students from Al-Madinah province were enrolled in this study; 66.3% were females and 33.7% were males. Participants' ages ranged from 18 to 33 years with a mean of 21.3 ± 2.0 years. The prevalence of myopia among college students in Al-Madinah and its provinces was 57.3%, and 87.9% of them had myopia in both eyes. Respondents with an electronic screen time of more than three hours and a reading distance of less than 15cm were at significant risk of myopia with p-values of 0.037 and 0.019, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant prevalence of myopia has been observed among university students in Madinah. Studying in scientific and medical fields, having eye diseases, prolonged use of digital devices, limiting daily outdoor activities to one hour, and having a reading distance of less than 15 cm significantly increased the risk of myopia. Encouraging education and screening programs for myopia prevention and control is crucial.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Lifestyle of Students of Taibah University, Madinah

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown affected the daily habits of people around the world. Many countries have contributed to restricting its transmission by ensuing a quarantine, including Saudi Arabia, by shutting down educational facilities. Therefore, the system adapted to those changes, and people were required to stay home for work and education. Objectives This study aimed to explore the effect of the lockdown and house confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic on the important aspects of lifestyle, such as body weight, dietary habits, sleeping patterns, stress levels, screen time, and physical activity among students of Taibah University in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out by a self-administered online questionnaire that was quoted from a Palestinian study. Then was translated from English to Arabic. In total, 528 Taibah University students were eligible to participate. It addressed food-related behavior (types of foods consumed) and lifestyle behavior (physical activity, sleep quality, and screen time). Results Study participants aged from 17 to 30 years, males and females. Mainly non-infected COVID-19 persons previously (54.4%). Participants showed an increase in body weight, intake of fried food, intake of sweets, sleep hours, screen time, and physical activity during lockdown. The most reported sources of stress during lockdown were staying at home all day (62.3%) and distance learning (44.9%). Conclusion The COVID-19 lockdown and the closure of universities have led to many changes in the everyday routine of university students, leading to changes in their lifestyle behaviors.