OSARO BLESSING OSAYAMWEN

Myopia is an increasingly common visual condition that affects millions of young adults worldwide. Among university students, prolonged near work, digital screen use, and limited outdoor exposure contribute to its rising prevalence. Beyond blurred vision, myopia can significantly affect emotional wellbeing, academic performance, and daily functioning. To assess the impact of myopia on the quality of life among students of the University of Benin. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 153 students diagnosed with myopia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire adapted from the National Eye Institute Refractive Error Quality of Life Instrument (NEI RQL-42). Information on socio-demographics, awareness of myopia, and quality-of-life indicators was obtained. Descriptive statistics and inferential tests were used to analyze relationships between variables. All respondents were confirmed myopes, categorized as mild (53.6%), moderate (35.3%), and high (11.1%). Awareness of myopia correction was high (92.8%), but only 45.8% had undergone an eye examination in the past year. The overall mean quality-of-life score indicated a moderate impact, with the lowest scores in dependence on correction and emotional wellbeing domains. A significant negative correlation was found between severity of myopia and quality-of-life scores (r = -0.398, p = 0.002), while gender and level of study showed no significant associations (p > 0.05). Myopia moderately affects the quality of life of university students, particularly as severity increases. Strengthening vision screening programs, integrating visual ergonomics into academic settings, and providing psychosocial support for myopic students are essential steps toward improving overall wellbeing.