Abstract

Background:
Visually evoked potential (VEP) is principally used to evaluate the functional cohesion of visual pathways. Refractive errors deform the stimuli, causing loss of focus and affecting the VEP variables. There is a strong rationale for estimating the dangerous effects of Electromagnetic Radiation waves produced by smart mobile phones on the human visual system.

Aim:
To study the visually evoked potential waves in myopic medical students using smart mobile phones for more than 3 hours/day and to compare them with normal healthy controls.

Methods:
This analytical study was conducted in the Department of Physiology of a tertiary care teaching institute from July 2023 to September 2023. A total of 60 MBBS students were studied; 30 myopic students using smart mobile phones for more than 3 hours/day. The control group included 30 students with normal vision using a smartphone for more than 3 hours/day.VEP was performed. The statistical analysis of data was done with a student-independent unpaired “t” test using SPSS 23.0.

Results:
There was a significant increase in the latencies of P100 and N135 in individuals with myopia using smart mobile phones for more than 3 hours/day compared with the controls for both the right and left eyes. The latencies of N75 in individuals with myopia were increased but statistically insignificant for both the right and left eyes.

Conclusion:
Myopia, if not corrected, in students using smart mobile phones for >3 hours/day, can lead to significant prolongation of VEP latencies.

Key words: Mobile phone, Myopia, Refractory errors, Visual Evoked Potential