Visual symptoms and convergence insufficiency in

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responderam dedicar menos que duas horas por dia à leitura, sendo que 40,0% dos entrevistados .... to 36 points: suspected CI; and 37 to 60 points: CI.
Original Article

DOI 10.5935/0034-7280.20170050

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Visual symptoms and convergence insufficiency in university teachers Sintomas visuais e insuficiência de convergência em docentes universitários Nágila Cristiana Menigite1, Marcelo Taglietti1

Abstract Objective: To investigate the prevalence of visual discomfort and convergence failure in professors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done, consisting of 60 teachers of both sexes, of the Centro Universitário FAG, which used the Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey, validated for the Brazilian population. Results: Of those surveyed 55.0% are female. 48.3% respondents spend less than two hours a day reading, with 40.0% of respondents said they do 30-minute breaks for one hour during reading and 63.3% said they spend between 2-5 hours a day in front of the computer. With regard to research on diseases of the visual system, 25.0% reported having myopia, with 55.0% of individuals use these glasses and 41.7% use it frequently. The research of the prevalence of convergence insufficiency, gave an average of 12.4(1.8) %. Conclusion: It was found that most respondents presented with visual discomfort and small percentages were affected by CI. Keywords: Visual acuity; Ocular motility disorders; Vision disorders; Vision, binocular

Resumo Objetivo: Investigar a prevalência de desconforto visual e insuficiência de convergência (IC) em docentes universitários. Métodos: Tratar-se de um estudo transversal, com 60 docentes de ambos os sexos, tendo sido utilizado o questionário Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey, validado para a população brasileira. Resultados: Dos docentes entrevistados 55,0% eram do sexo feminino. 48,3% responderam dedicar menos que duas horas por dia à leitura, sendo que 40,0% dos entrevistados disseram que fazem pausas de 30 minutos à uma hora durante a leitura e 63,3% afirmaram passar entre 2 a 5 horas por dia em frente ao computador. Em relação à investigação sobre as doenças do sistema visual, 25,0% relataram apresentar miopia, sendo que 55,0% dos indivíduos usam óculos e destes 41,7% o usam com frequência. Quanto à investigação da prevalência de insuficiência de convergência, obteve-se frequência de (1,8) %. Conclusão: Constatou-se que a maioria dos entrevistados se apresentou com desconforto visual e uma pequena porcentagem foram acometidos pela IC. Descritores: Acuidade visual; Transtornos da motilidade ocular; Transtornos da visão; Visão binocular

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Centro Universitário da Fundação Assis Gurgacz, Cacavel, PR, Brasil.

The authors declare no conflicts of interests. Recived for publication 15/03/2017 - Accepted for publication 07/09/2017.

Rev Bras Oftalmol. 2017; 76 (5): 242-6

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Visual symptoms and convergence insufficiency in university teachers

Introduction

T

he biological visual systems have a feature called visual attention, which allows us to extract the best information from the environment, besides having the ability to decrease the amount of information caught. (1,2) Performance, processing of visual attention, and school learning can be affected by visual attention problems. (3) Among the basic processes of interaction with the environment, we can mention the eye movements, which allow us to locate and observe objects around us. (4) Thus, with the simultaneous adduction of the eyes, called convergence, it is possible to visualize near objects located approximately 33 cm apart. The near point of convergence (NPC) is designated as the closest point at which the eyes are able to converge, and it is not common to change with age. (5) When the approach of objects becomes an obstacle preventing the proper binocular alignment of the eyes, we call it convergence insufficiency (CI).(1,6) Symptoms are usually influenced by prolonged near-sighted work, by general health and anxiety, which include difficulty concentrating and understanding when performing near-sighted activities, visual discomfort, eye fatigue, blurred or double vision, drowsiness, headache, among others. (6,7) After prolonged near-sighted work such as using the computer and reading, the symptoms of visual discomfort appear, not only in students, but also in the general population.(8,9) Due to the high risk of the progression of myopia or its late development as well as changes related to near sight, these individuals become a group of special interest when speaking of convergence insufficiency.(10) Research has pointed to several factors contributing to visual discomfort in professions that require near sight (teachers, for example), which may include uncorrected refractive errors, cortical cell hypersensitivities, and oculomotor anomalies.(9,11) According to Tavares (8), when related to health and quality of life, convergence insufficiency can be seen as a negative factor as it contributes to low income at work, poor performance at school and leisure hours. Taking into account that CI interferes with the ability to read, learn and perform near sighted work(1), the present study aimed at investigating the prevalence of visual discomfort and lack of convergence in university teachers.

Methods It is a cross-sectional study selecting a convenience sample of 60 male and female professors from Centro Universitário da Faculdade Assis Gurgacz (FAG), in the city of Cascavel - PR during the year 2016. The research was approved by the Research Ethics Committee by CAAE: 49529715.7.0000.5219. The inclusion criteria were: male and female individuals over 40 years of age who were university professors in full employment and who had a minimum of four working hours a week and who accepted to participate in the research. The consent was obtained by the members of the research through the presentation and signature of the Free and Informed Consent. For the data collection, a face-to-face interview with the individuals was carried out, and the researchers used a questionnaire validated for the Brazilian population and translated by Tavares.(8) The questionnaire Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS) developed by the Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial is the first standardized tool that has

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been proven valid and reliable for measuring the frequency and type of symptoms before and after a convergence insufficiency therapy or other binocular or accommodative disorder. This questionnaire is divided into 15 items, using a Likert scale with 5 levels of response. Each item focuses on only one symptom, and it has the sensitivity to discriminate which symptom the individual is reporting, having good psychometric properties. The results can be classified as follows: 0 to 10 points: normal binocular vision; 11 to 36 points: suspected CI; and 37 to 60 points: CI. Afterwards, questions related to visual symptoms were also answered as a questionnaire. The researchers interviewed the teachers during their period of activity interval between classes, in the morning, afternoon and evening shifts. The individuals of the research were interviewed in the teaching rooms of Centro Universitário Assis Gurgacz - FAG. For statistical analysis, the program Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS®) Version 22.0 was used, where normality distribution tests were performed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, and the central tendency measures for the quantitative data were calculated and the frequency distribution for qualitative data was performed. Quantitative data was presented as average and standard deviation due to presenting normal distribution. The qualitative data was presented in frequency. A significance level of 5% (p