Association between outdoor play and myopia among children in Cross River State, Nigeria. A case control study

Purpose: Myopia is a refractive error of the eyes that causes blurred distance vision. Near work, genetics and environmental factors have been implicated as risk in Child myopia. This study seeks to determine association between time spent on outdoor play myopia among children Calabar, Nigeria.
 Methods: It was hospital-based case-control conducted 120 (5-17 years old) selected matched by age sex from out-patients Cross River Eye Care Program. After obtaining parental consents, assent obtained before conducting comprehensive eye examinations. defined spherical equivalent ≥-0.50D. Cases were diagnosed with controls those without Independent samples t-test Spearman’s correlation P-value < 0.05 considered be statistically significant at 95% confidence interval.
 Results: lesser playing outdoors than (M = 1.95 vs 2.40 hours daily, p 0.01). found significant, weak, negative [rs(118) -0.217, 0.017]. Spending above 2 had an OR 0.37 (95% CI 0.170 - 0.816).
 Conclusion: In this myopia, increases, decreases. Increased protective factor against Hence it recommended more awareness created effect play.