Population perceived eye strain due to digital devices usage during COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSE: To assess the magnitude severity and determinants of eyestrain and the use of digital devices in a Saudi population during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. METHODS: This web-based survey was conducted in September 2020 and enrolled only Saudi nationals 15 years or older. Data were collected on demographics, eye strain related symptoms, severity, and the use of optical aids during the COVID-19 lockdown. The frequency and severity of eye strain were calculated. A Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) score was graded as none/mild moderate and severe, based on the sum of 15-eye strain related signs and symptoms. Correlation analysis was performed for determinants of CVS. RESULTS: The study sample was comprised of 2009 individuals with median age of 20 years. Among those who used digital devices for more than 6 h daily, the main reasons for use were work and social purposes among 68.4%, and 61% of respondents, respectively. The prevalence of knowledge on CVS and the '20-20 rule for using digital devices' was 9.4% and 6.9, respectively. The most common symptoms of eye strain from digital device usage were headache, burning, itching, tearing, and redness of eyes. Six hours of daily usage of digital devices was positively associated to the grade of eye strain severity during the COVID-19 lockdown (P < 0.05)). CONCLUSION: The Saudi population experienced eye strain during COVID-19 lockdown due to excessive digital devices usage. Longer duration of digital device usage was associated to eye strain. Health care providers should educate the general population on measures to mitigate eye strain due to digital devices. Trial registration ID None applicable.

Optic Nerve Injury, Vitreous Hemorrhage, and Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Following Long Needle Peribulbar Anesthesia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) following retrobulbar or peribulbar anesthetic injection is a rare but serious complication that often results in poor visual outcomes. Thus, extreme caution should be exercised while administering local ocular anesthesia due to the potential complications arising from local orbital anesthesia. These complications may occur locally or systemically and may arise immediately or be delayed. This case report is on a female patient who sustained optic nerve injury and RRD due to a peribulbar block administered in the setting of cataract extraction and, subsequently, experienced retinal detachment and vitreous hemorrhage at another hospital before being referred to our hospital. The retina was repaired with pars plana vitrectomy, 360 endolaser of the peripheral retina and around tears, and gas injection, achieving stable visual outcomes.

Prevalence of Pterygium and Associated Risk Factors in the High-Altitude Area of Ta'if City, Saudi Arabia.

Background Pterygium is an important public health problem. The prevalence rates of this disease varies widely from 1.2% to 23.4%. Aim To determine the prevalence rates and the associated risk factors of pterygium in the high-altitude area - Ta'if city, Saudi Arabia. Material and method A cross-sectional study was carried out from September 2018 till September 2019 at the ophthalmology outpatient clinics of King Abdul-Aziz Specialist Hospital, Ta'if area. Results Prevalence rate of pterygium in the high-altitude area, Ta'if city, Saudi Arabia was 2.4%. It is significantly higher in older patients belonging to the age group of more than 40 years. As for gender, it was significantly higher in male patients compared to females (2.6% vs. 1.9%). Pterygium prevalence was significantly higher among patients with outdoor occupations compared to indoor occupations (2.9% vs. 2.1%), and among patients with sunlight exposure during daily activities for more than 5 hours (2.6% vs. 2%) (p =< 0.05). Conclusion The overall incidence of pterygium in Al-Ta'if area, Saudi Arabia, was 2.4% but still lower than overall worldwide incidence (10.2%). There was an increased incidence of pterygium with age, high-altitude areas, rural areas, outdoor occupations, which is directly proportional to dose of sunlight exposure. Furthermore, smoking might be reported as a protective factor against pterygium.

Healthcare professionals' views and perceptions of analgesic and antipyretic use in paediatric patients in four major Saudi hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Antipyretics and analgesics, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are medications commonly used in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and elsewhere to manage fever and pain in the paediatric age group.Research work investigating misuse of these medications in paediatric populations and pertinent healthcare professionals' (HCPs) perceptions as a major determinant of the severity of these errors is scarce. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of HCPs about analgesic and antipyretic use in paediatric patients at four major hospitals in Jeddah, KSA. The study also sought to explore factors believed by HCPs to be associated with occurrence of medication errors and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) due to analgesic and antipyretic use. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey employing a pre-piloted online questionnaire with an information sheet was delivered to HCPs in four hospitals in the western region of KSA. The questionnaire comprised a mix of a tick list and open and closed questions with Likert scales for attitudinal statements, and it also comprised items including demographics, healthcare professions and the respondents' work experience, HCPs' views and perceptions relating to occurrence of ADRs and medication errors in children who attended the hospital in the preceding three months and the severity and outcomes of the ADRs. RESULTS: Two-hundred seventy-four HCPs were approached, and 200 agreed to participate, yielding a response rate of 73%, including physicians (50%), nurses (24.5%), and pharmacists (16.5%).The majority of HCPs reported that ADRs could be minimized with appropriate actions. They believed that their lack of experience may have contributed to ADRs. Most HCPs (81%) reported that parental knowledge was a key factor contributing to the decreased occurrence of ADRs in children. They also believed that other factors contributed to the occurrence of ADRs, such as lack of reconciliation (65%), parents' anxiety leading to overmedication (69%) and the easy availability of these medications at home (77%).Twenty-nine respondents (n = 29, 14.5%) reported medication errors related to the use of analgesics or antipyretics. Specifically, they reported that possible contributing factors included poor communication of information (69.5%); interruptions (67.5%) and work pressure (66.0%). CONCLUSION: HCPs reported that ADRs and medication errors related to using analgesics and antipyretics in paediatric patients are not uncommon. In their opinion, several factors were associated with occurrence of these events, including parental knowledge about medications and insufficient training of HCPs.

Parental Experience of Potential Adverse Drug Reactions Related to Their Oral Administration of Antipyretic Analgesic Medicines in Children in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Oral antipyretic analgesic medicines are commonly used in children and have the potential for adverse drug reactions (ADRs). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore parental experiences of potential ADRs related to their oral administration of antipyretic analgesics in children in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. METHODS: For this cross-sectional survey, a paper-based questionnaire, consent form and information sheet were handed out to 1000 parents who had administered an oral antipyretic analgesic medicine to their children during the previous 3 months. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 21.0 (IBM-SPSS Inc, Armonk, NY). Simple descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Management and ethical approvals were attained. RESULTS: During March to April 2017, 661 parents agreed to participate, giving a response rate of 66.1%. Of the surveyed sample, 208 parents had observed 1 or more potential ADRs (31.5%, n = 208 out of 661). Parents' (n = 208) most commonly reported potential ADRs (n = 523) were loss of appetite (23%, n = 120 out of 523), stomachache (20.3%, n = 106 out of 523), abdominal colic (13%, n = 68 out of 523), and diarrhea (10.3%, n = 54 out of 523). Parents described severity of the ADRs as slight (71.8%, n = 342 out of 476), annoying to the child (7.9%, n = 85 to of 476), significant and affecting daily tasks (3.6%, n = 17 out of 476) and significant and led to the hospital (6.7%, n = 32 out of 476). Fever was the top-ranked reason for using antipyretic analgesic medicines (41.0%, n = 271 out of 661), followed by toothache (25.0%, n = 165 out of 661) and tonsillitis/laryngitis (24.7%, n = 163 out of 661). Among parents, 34.7% (n = 165 out of 476) did not seek medical attention when a potential ADR occurred, whereas 26.3% (n = 125 out of 476) of parents took their children to hospital clinics. CONCLUSIONS: Although the majority of parentally reported (but not proven) ADRs were mild, a number of significant ADRs were reported. Future research should consider whether there is a role for physicians and pharmacists in educating parents in Saudi Arabia, and perhaps more widely, about the optimal use of oral antipyretic and analgesic medicines in children. (Curr Ther Res Clin Exp. 2020; 81:XXX-XXX)© 2020 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc.