The distribution of eye symptoms related to the use of digital devices among university students in Istanbul, Türkiye

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to describe the distribution of digital eye strain and accompanying variables among students studying at a health campus of a governmental university in Istanbul. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a descriptive study conducted among students at a health campus in Istanbul between February and May 2022. Researchers visited the campus at various times and collected data face-to-face using a convenient sampling technique. The questionnaire included socio-demographic questions, questions on digital device use and eye disorders, and a 17-item Computer Vision Symptom Scale (CVSS17). Categorical data are shown as percentages and frequencies. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were applied. The statistical significance level was accepted as 0.05. RESULT: A total of 416 participants (69.5% females) with a median age of 23.00 (18–31) included. The main goal of using technological devices was social media (92.5%) and education (87.7%). Among participants, 47.8% declared that they use technological devices more than 6 hours a day. Among students who had an eye disorder prior to the pandemic (n = 257), 50.2% reported an increase in their vision problems. Furthermore, 16.4% of students who did not have an eye disorder before the pandemic (n = 159) reported having a newly diagnosed eye disorder. While using digital devices, 98.6% of students experienced at least one of the ocular symptoms, and 91.3% experienced three or more. The most common symptoms students reported were heavy eyes, pain, and burning sensation. CONCLUSION: Eye problems related to digital device usage are seen frequently among university students of health disciplines. Although digital eye strain is a temporary condition it can decrease productivity which is important for students. With the pandemic, the role of digital devices in students’ daily lives has grown and continues to increase. We believe this topic will require considerable clinical attention in the future.