AbstractIntroduction: Refractive error is the inability of the optical system to bring an image to the sharp focus on the retina. Myopia is an optical aberration of the eye whereby objects at a distance are not focused onto the retina but brought to a focus in front of the retina, resulting in a blurred image. In India uncorrected refractive errors are second major cause of avoidable blindness. Materials and methods: This was a crosssectional, descriptive study over a period of 2 months to find the incidence of myopia and prevalence of peripheral retinal degenerations among medical students in ARMCH Kumbhari, Solapur. Sample size was calculated by using the formula n = z2 *p*q/d2, 400 students were included in the study. Results: The incidence of myopia among medical students was 278 (69.5%) and 122(30.5%) in non myopic, female
dominance, with 52% (209) myopes being females. It was found to be a statistically significant association between female gender with myopia. It is also found that incidence of myopia more observed in female (58.6%) than male (41.4%). Mothers of 23 (5.8%) students were myopic according to the history given by the students. Only 7(1.8%) of them had myopic siblings while the rest 393 (98.2%) students had non
myopic siblings. Parents of 35 (8.8%) students underwent fundus examination earlier. while 365 (91.2%) of them had never undergone fundus examination. only 1 (0.2%) had a post herpetic corneal scar, while rest 399 had normal slit lamp findings. Best corrected visual acuity of the right eye of 394 (98.5%) students was upto 6/6, while 6 (1.5%) of them were corrected upto 6/9. prevalence of peripheral retinal degeneration among the 400 students examined was found to be 68 (17%). Conclusions: Studies of this kind are helpful in knowing the magnitude of the problem of myopia and retinal degenerations, and to stress upon the need for routine eye examination and fundus examination with indirect ophthalmoscopy among myopes and general population as well.
Keywords: Refractive Error; Myopia; Peripheral Retinal Degeneration; Visual Acuity