Prevalence Of Refractive Errors Among Medical And Health Sciences Faculty Students

To assess the prevalence and classify refractive errors among students enrolled in the medical and health sciences faculty students.

The subjects were obtained from a population-based keratoconus prevalence study conducted at Eskişehir Osmangazi University. 

The subjects were divided into four groups according to their refractive status. Spherical equivalent (SE) ≥ +0.50 diopter (D) was defined as hyperopia, while SE ≤-0.50D and >-3.0D and and SE ≤-3.0D were considered as low and moderate-high myopia, respectively. Myopia and hyperopia were divided into 3 subgroups as axial, refractive, and mixed according to optical biometry (Lenstar) and Pentacam (Oculus) measured mean keratometry (Km). In the myopia group, Km of <46 D and AL ≥24 mm was classified as axial myopia, and Km ≥46 D and AL <24 mm as refractive myopia. In the hyperopia group, Km >42D and AL ≤23 mm was classified as axial hyperopia, and Km ≤42D and AL >23 mm as refractive hyperopia, while the remaining cases were considered mixed.

A total of 632 eyes of 316 subjects were evaluated. The mean age of subjects was 21.4 ± 2.4 years and 71.5% were female. 2.5% (n=16) of subjects were hyperopia, 28% (n=177) were emmetropia, 53.5% (n=338) were low myopia, 16% (n=101) were moderate-high myopia. In the myopic group, 55.8% (n=245) were classified as axial, 42.1% (n=185) as mixed, and 2.1% (n=9) as refractive. In the hyperopia group, 56.3% (n=9) were classified as axial, 25% (n=4) as mixed, 18.8% (n=3) as refractive.

It was observed that the majority of students studying medical and health sciences faculties were myopic, and more than half of them had axial myopia.