Publication: Ocular Survey in Kathmandu University Medical Students
Date
2022
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background
Medical students spend long time in academic activities that increases the risk
of developing refractive errors and dry eyes that can affect their learning and
social abilities. Only a few studies are available regarding ocular problems and its
contribution to visual impairment among medical students in Nepal.
Objective
To evaluate the ocular problems among the medical students in a University hospital.
Method
An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among five
batches undergraduate medical students until 2022 of Kathmandu University School
of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel, Kavre. A self-administered questionnaire was used to
obtain demographic data and information on visual problems followed by a detailed
ocular examination that included refraction, color vision and Schirmer test.
Result
Total of 284 medical students (with 568 eyes) with mean age of 22.8 years, 179 males
and 105 females were enrolled. Among them, 270 (47.5%) eyes were emmetropic.
Simple Myopia was the commonest followed by Compound Myopic Astigmatism.
The mean spherical equivalent in right and left eye were -0.914 ± 1.54 and -0.886 ±
1.53 respectively. Approximately 18% students had some form of dry eye. Nineteen
students (6.7%) had color vision deficiency and 13 (4.6%) had deuteranomalia,
3(1.1%) had deuteranopia and 3(1.1%) had protanomalia.
Conclusion
Eye defects, like refractive errors, dry eyes and color blindness, are common among
medical students. They need to be advised for frequent eye check up in order to
diagnose eye defects timely and arrest visual impairment at early stage.
KEY WORDS
Color vision, Dry eye, Medicals students, Refractive errors
Description
Shrestha P,1 Kaiti R,2 Shyangbo R,3 Dhakal K1
1Department of Ophthalmology
Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Hospital
Dhulikhel, Kavre, Nepal
2Nepal Eye Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal
3National Academy of Medical Sciences
Kathmandu, Nepal
Keywords
Color vision, Dry eye, Medicals students, Refractive errors