Myopia Progression during the COVID-19 Era: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

Background

To evaluate myopia progression during the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its risk factors.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to find literature until August 2022 related to COVID-19 pandemic and myopia progression. Outcomes of myopia progression included axial length (AL) and spherical equivalent (SE). Factors of screen time and outdoor activity time were analyzed.

Results

Thirty-three studies were included in this meta-analysis. Compared to the same period before the COVID-19 pandemic, myopia prevalence increased (OR = 1.11; 95% CI, 1.05–1.18). The outcomes of SE decreased −0.61 diopter (95% CI, −0.98 to −0.23), and AL increased 0.42 mm (95% CI, 0.13–0.7). Mean screen time was increased 6.25 hours/day (95% CI, 4.84–7.66), and outdoor activity time was decreased −1.52 hours/day (95% CI, −3.20 to −0.15).

Conclusion

Establishing care policies is necessary to restrict behavioral changes and their consequences during the pandemic.

KEYWORDS:

• Axial length
• COVID-19
• myopia
• outdoor activity
• screen time
• spherical equivalent

Acknowledgments

We appreciate the Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Financial Support and Sponsorship

Nil.

Authors’ contributions

Ali Sharifi and Amin Zand designed the study, Mohammad Javad Najafzadeh, Mohadeseh Shafiei and, Meraj Sharifi collected data, Mohammad Javad Najafzadeh wrote the first draft of the paper, Amin Zand contributed to writing and revision of the manuscript. Naser Nasiri designed the Meta-analysis. All authors contributed to finalizing the manuscript.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/08820538.2023.2168490

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.