Prevalence and Progression of Refractive Errors Among El-Mustansiriyah Medical Students
Alaa Ali Salih11Mustansiriyah University College of Medicine, Baghdad, Iraq,
Objectives: Refractive errors (RE) are defined as an error in focusing light on the retina and are a frequent reason for reduced visual acuity. The 3 most common types of RE are: myopia, which is difficulty seeing distant objects clearly; hypermetropia, which is difficulty seeing close objects clearly; and astigmatism, which is distorted vision resulting from an irregularly curved cornea. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of RE among medical students at Al-Mustansiriya Medical College and to evaluate associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Al-Mustansiriya Medical College to assess RE among medical students. The data collectors were divided into 6 groups to gather data provided by the students of each annual cohort. Some incomplete forms were excluded. Results: In this study, it was determined that about 33% of all students at Al-Mustansiriya Medical College had RE, with myopia being the most prevalent type (57.58%), especially in the fourth year students (25%), while the least common was hypermetropia (2.73%). There was quite a difference in the ratio of males and females with RE (38.48% and 61.52%, respectively). Conclusion: Myopia was the most common eye problem observed among medical students. The incidence of myopia was greater in females than in males in all cohorts.
Cite This Article
Ali Salih A. Prevalence and Progression of Refractive Errors Among El-Mustansiriyah Medical Students. EJMO. 2018; 2(2): 79-83
Corresponding Author: Alaa Ali Salih