Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on ocular disease: KNHANES 2015–2021

TL;DR

This study found that the COVID-19 pandemic was linked to increased risk of cataracts and AMD, but not glaucoma, based on health survey data from 2015 to 2021.

Contribution

This study is novel in identifying the pandemic as a risk factor for specific ocular diseases using a large-scale national health survey.

Findings

The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with increased odds of cataracts (OR 1.161) and AMD (OR 1.600).

Depression and metabolic conditions like diabetes and hypertension were common risk factors across ocular diseases.

The pandemic was not a significant risk factor for glaucoma.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on ocular diseases and changes in risk factors before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was conducted using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2015–2021, a national cross-sectional health examination and survey. Associations between ocular diseases and risk factors were determined using the chi-squared test and logistic regression analysis. Bivariable adjusted logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) to evaluate of the impact of COVID-19 on ocular diseases. Individuals were divided into two age groups (< 60 and ≥ 60 years). A total of 50,158 people were diagnosed, of whom 7270 were diagnosed with cataract, 921 with glaucoma, and 439 with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Risk factors for cataract were COVID-19 pandemic (OR 1.161), hypertension (OR 1.608), diabetes (OR 1.573), dyslipidemia (OR 1.167), stroke (OR 1.272), and depression (OR 1.567). Risk factors for AMD were COVID-19 pandemic (OR 1.600), dyslipidemia (OR 1.610), and depression (OR 1.466). Risk factors for glaucoma were hypertension (OR 1.234), dyslipidemia (OR 1.529), diabetes (OR 1.323), and depression (OR 1.830). The COVID-19 pandemic was a risk factor for cataracts and AMD, but not for glaucoma. Cataracts and AMD may be more influenced by the acquired health conditions or the environment.

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