Association Between Dry Eye Disease and Digital Device Usage Among Adults Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48047/6qe1j914Keywords:
Dry eye disease, Digital device, Screen time, Tear break-up time, Computer vision syndromeAbstract
In this cross-sectional study involving 250 adults, a significant association was observed between digital device usage and the occurrence of dry eye disease (DED). The prevalence of DED increased progressively with daily screen exposure, rising from 22% among individuals using digital devices for less than four hours per day to 56% among those reporting more than eight hours of daily screen time. This trend highlights the substantial impact of prolonged visual display terminal use on ocular surface health. Correlation analyses further demonstrated that increased screen time was moderately associated with higher Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores (r ≈ 0.46), indicating greater symptom severity, while an inverse correlation was observed with tear break-up time (TBUT) (r ≈ −0.41), reflecting reduced tear-film stability. These findings suggest that extended digital device exposure contributes not only to subjective ocular discomfort but also to measurable physiological alterations in tear-film function. The underlying mechanisms are likely multifactorial and include reduced blink frequency, increased incomplete blinking, prolonged visual concentration, and greater ocular surface evaporation during screen use. Such changes can disrupt tear-film homeostasis, resulting in ocular dryness, irritation, burning sensation, visual fatigue, and fluctuating vision. Importantly, multivariable logistic regression analysis confirmed that prolonged screen time remained independently associated with DED after adjusting for potential confounding factors, emphasizing that digital device use itself constitutes a significant risk factor for disease development. The findings are particularly relevant in contemporary society, where occupational, educational, and recreational activities increasingly depend on smartphones, computers, tablets, and other digital platforms. Given the widespread and often unavoidable nature of screen exposure, preventive strategies become essential. Regular blinking exercises, adherence to the 20-20-20 rule, optimization of workplace ergonomics, maintenance of adequate ambient humidity, proper screen positioning, and scheduled breaks during prolonged device use may help reduce the burden of DED. The study underscores the growing public health significance of digital eye strain and dry eye disease in the digital era. Overall, greater digital device usage was significantly associated with increased prevalence and severity of dry eye disease, accompanied by evidence of tear-film instability, supporting the implementation of screen-hygiene practices and targeted preventive interventions to preserve ocular health among frequent digital device users
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