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Key publications in paediatrics: Picket
Increased short-sightedness in younger children associated with home schooling and confinement
  1. Imran Jawaid,
  2. Ian D Wacogne,
  3. Joseph Abbott
  1. Department of Paediatric Ophthalmology, Birmingham Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
  1. Correspondence to Joseph Abbott, Birmingham Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B4 6NH, UK; joseph.abbott1{at}nhs.net

https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2021-322574

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    Study question

    Objectives: To assess the refractive error of school age children following home confinement owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and to compare findings with preceding years.

    Setting: Ten elementary schools in Shandong, Feicheng, China, from 2015 to 2020.

    Patients: 123 535 children aged 6–13 years were assessed annually with an automated-refraction device.

    Intervention

    During 4 months of home isolation preceding the 2020 assessment, children in grades 1 and 2 (age 6–8 years) were taught online for 1 hour/day, whereas those in grades 3–6 (age 8–13 years) were taught for 2.5 hours/day. Outdoor activity was severely restricted, often to none.

    A Spot Vision Screener, an automated assessment of refractive error, was held at 1 m from the patient in the pre-COVID-19 era. In the COVID-19 era (2020), there were three method changes. First, screeners stood at 1.8 m and extended their arms forward to the required 1 m testing distance. Second, masks were worn by the screeners and children. Third, students had their autorefraction in May 2020 rather than September, following easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

    The assessment of refractive error in May 2020 was compared with data from September in each of the years 2015–2019, inclusive.

    Outcomes

    Results for the 6 years, 2015–2020, inclusive, …

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    Footnotes

    • Review of article Wang J, Li Y, Musch DC et al. Progression of Myopia in School-Aged Children After COVID-19 Home Confinement. JAMA Ophthalmol [Internet]. 2021 Jan 14 [cited 18 Feb 2021]; Available from: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2020.6239

    • Contributors IJ wrote and revised the manuscript. IDW developed the idea and critically reviewed the manuscript. JA has overseen the work with structure and revisions.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.