Editor’s note: These posters were shared during the American Academy of Optometry in Indianapolis, Indiana, in November 2024.
ASSESSING SLEEP PATTERNS IN A POST-COVID LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
By M. Valdes, L. Fortepiani, A. Jaballas, E. Saenz, D. Rios, C. Franklin and S. Fortenberry
Researchers from the University of the Incarnate Word Rosenberg School of Optometry and UT Health San Antonio studied how COVID-19 lockdowns affected sleep patterns in optometry students and whether those changes persisted as in-person learning resumed. Their findings highlight key sleep disruptions and their potential impact on student well-being and academic performance.
SLEEP PATTERNS SHIFTED POST-LOCKDOWN
The study analyzed sleep behaviors of optometry students across three academic years (2019–2020, 2021 and 2022) using actigraphy data. Researchers found that students experienced delayed wake times and reduced sleep duration during the lockdown. As in-person learning resumed, sleep patterns gradually returned to pre-pandemic levels, but some variations remained.
Key findings include:
- Wake times in 2021 were the latest of any year studied.
- Weekday sleep duration dropped in 2022 compared to 2019 and 2020.
- Weekend sleep duration varied, with students in 2021 and 2022 still showing some sleep debt compensation.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR STUDENTS?
These findings suggest that sleep disruptions from remote learning may have lingering effects on students’ sleep. While some patterns normalized in 2022, weekday sleep deficits persisted, potentially affecting cognitive function, alertness and overall well-being—critical factors for optometry students managing rigorous academic and clinical demands.
THE EFFECT OF PRIOR OPTOMETRIC EXPERIENCE ON CLINICAL SKILLS PERFORMANCE
By Maria Armandi, OD; Helene Kaiser, OD, FAAO; and Doan Kwak, OD, FAAO
Researchers from Salus University at Drexel University Pennsylvania College of Optometry examined whether prior optometric experience influences first-year optometry students’ performance in clinical skills courses. Their study analyzed whether hours spent working in optometric settings before school correlated with didactic and practical course grades.
NO CORRELATION BETWEEN EXPERIENCE AND PERFORMANCE
The study reviewed applications from the class of 2026 at Salus, analyzing self-reported optometric experience from OptomCAS. Researchers categorized experience based on clinical exposure, such as assisting with entrance testing, refraction, tonometry and visual fields.
Key findings include:
- Over half of the students (62 out of 103) reported prior experience in optometry. Experience ranged from six hours to more than 20,000 hours.
- Didactic and practical clinical skills grades did not show a significant correlation with prior experience.
- Average grades were similar across experience levels: Students with 60–100 hours of experience had an average of 77.8 in clinical skills 2 (CS2), while those without experience averaged 78.7.
- Regression analysis confirmed no statistical significance, suggesting that pre-optometry experience does not predict performance in early clinical coursework.
IMPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSIONS AND TRAINING
Despite the assumption that prior familiarity with optometric procedures could give students an advantage, this study found no evidence to support that claim. Researchers suggest multiple factors could influence early clinical performance, including test-taking ability, course grading structure and comfort levels with patient interactions.
