Is wearing a face mask associated with symptomatic dry eye disease among medical students during the COVID-19 era? An online survey

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 has necessitate the routine use of masks worldwide. This study assessed the relationship between wearing a facemask and dry eye disease (DED) among a sample of medical students in Jordan. METHODS: This cross-sectional online survey enrolled medical students from all medical schools in Jordan. The questionnaire, which was shared via social media platforms, assessed sociodemographic information, ocular and medical history, facemask-wearing habits, the use of ocular devices, and the relationship with ocular discomfort. The ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire was also administered to quantify DED symptoms. RESULTS: A total of 1,219 students participated in this study. In total, 58.3% participants were females, and 52% were in the clinical science years. Symptomatic DED was found in 71.7% of participants. Female sex, basic science years, allergy reporting, and spending more than 6 h looking at screens were significantly associated with symptomatic DED. CONCLUSION: Wearing a facemask was not significantly associated with symptomatic DED. Further studies are needed to investigate the effect of wearing a facemask on the ocular surface. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12886-022-02377-z.