Abstract : TITLE:- RELATION BETWEEN ACTIVITIES PERFORMED AND REFRACTIVE STATUS OF OPTOMETRY STUDENTS PURPOSE:- The purpose of the study is to assess the relation of sports and leisure activities with refractive status amongst students of optometry. MATERIAL AND METHODS:- This institute-based prospective pilot study was conducted during 1st to 7th March 2017 in the Department of Optometry, UPUMS, Saifai,(Etawah), U.P. in which all the available (=96) bachelor optometry students from all professional years were enrolled. All students were subjected to the vision screening which included a detailed questionnaire (Gender, Income group, Sports and Leisure activities related information) as well as clinical examination in which visual acuity (Snellen’s chart), cover test and colour vision (Ishihara chart) were assessed. Percentage prevalence of refractive error was determined. Refractive status of the students was compared with the sports and leisure activities which they preferably perform. RESULTS:- The mean age of the students was 21.64 years and prevalence of refractive error was found to be 35.41% (34 out of 96). Prevalence of myopic in total population is highest 23.95% (23 out of 96) than hyperopic 3.12% (3 out of 96) and astigmatism 8.3% (8 out of 96). Myopic were observed to be least actively involved in outdoor activities (H>A>M>N) in comparison to indoor activities (M>N>A>H). Hypermetropic were found to be least active in leisure activities (vision dependent) while more active in vision independent leisure activities. CONCLUSION:- The study has shown a strong relation between the type of sport as well as vision-dependent leisure activity and the type of refractive error. Myopics were having more affinity towards indoor activities/ sports while hypermetropics were towards outdoors.

Keyword : Indoor/Outdoor activities, 0ptomery, Leisure activities, Questionnaire, Refractive Error