::INDO AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES::

CODEN : IAJPBB
issn 2349-7750

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TITLE:

PREVALENCE AND DETERMINANTS OF NEARSIGHTEDNESS (MYOPIA) AMONG THE STUDENTS OF GUJRANWALA MEDICAL COLLEGE, GUJRANWALA

AUTHORS:

Dr. Shaza Khawar, Dr. Farva Farooq Ansari, Dr. Anum Sarwar

ABSTRACT:

Background and Introduction: Myopia is characterized by an impaired ability to see distant objects clearly while all near objects can be visualized. The reason is either an increased size of the eyeball or an increased curvature of the lens and/or cornea, or both. In both cases, light rays from distant objects come to focus at a point in front of the retina – hence the refractive error. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study was conducted at Gujranwala Medical College, Gujranwala from 28th June to 28th July 2016, to assess the prevalence and determinants of myopia among medical students. In this regard we used semi-structured, pre-tested questionnaire to get responses from 100 GMC students by non-probability convenient sampling, and then data was analyzed by SPSS version 21 software. Results: 51% students reported positive for myopia, out of which 3.9% were positive for high myopia. The mean dioptric value was -2.0D. Increased use of electronic gadgets (90.2%) and positive family histories (88.2%) were found to be the main predisposing factors. Conclusions: Myopia is the most common refractive error of the eye among medical students, and as myopia is preventable cause of permanent visual impairment, regular eye checkup, control of chronic diseases (such as diabetes), protection of the eyes from the sun, prevention of injuries to the eye, consumption of healthy foods (rich in vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids), and avoidance of smoking are some measures one can take to control myopia. Keywords: Myopia, nearsightedness, refractive error, Gujranwala Medical College.