Evaluation of risk factors for ocular morbidities and their impact on the lives of medical students: A cross-sectional study unveiling the academic collateral.

Background: One billion people worldwide have preventable vision impairment. Ocular morbidities are a significant problem in the public health sector, especially among medical students. The study objectives were to identify the prevailing ocular morbidities and evaluate the risk factors and their impact on students' lifestyles and academics. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among (Study sample 312) undergraduate medical students over 6 months. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analysed to identify the prevalence, associated risk factors, and consequences of ocular morbidities. Results: 64.7% were suffering from ocular morbidities. Headache was a predominant symptom in students with (51.7%) and without (39.1%) ocular morbidities. The most common ocular morbidity was myopia (84.3%). 18.7% of students perceived that ocular morbidity had restricted them from participating in activities or applying for specific job posts. The evaluation of various risk factors inferred that ocular morbidity was associated with family history, early age onset of the condition, lighting, inappropriate posture while reading, screen time, and a vitamin A-rich diet. Conclusion: The study concluded that the most prevalent ocular morbidity was refractive error, with myopia being the highest among medical students, and it has adversely impacted the students' lifestyle and academics, underscoring the need for early detection, preventive strategies, and health education interventions.