Digital eye strain and computer vision syndrome among doctors.

Abstract

Purpose: To find the incidence and risk factors of digital eye strain among doctors.

Materials and Methods: An online questionnaire was designed including the symptoms of digital eye strain. Based on the responses, digital eye strain score was calculated by using a pre-decided formula. If the total digital eye strain (DES) score was ≥6 points, the participant was considered to be suffering from digital eye strain.

Results: A total of 228 doctors responded to the questionnaire within the set time frame. The mean age of the doctors was 29 ± 2.58 years, of whom 147 (66.22%) were males. Of the respondents, 54% were postgraduate residents (n=120), 20.3% were house officers (n=45) and 16.2% were consultants (n=36). The most common digital device used was smart phone (n=216, 97.3%). The duration of digital device use was 4-6 hours per day in 35.6% and 6-8 hours per day in 30.1% of doctors. There was statistically significant association between digital eye strain score and screen time in hours per day (p=0.028). However  no statistically significant association was found between the type of digital device used and the digital eye strain score (p=0.164).

Conclusion: The association between DES severity and screen time highlights the importance of moderating digital device usage to alleviate symptoms. While specific device preferences did not significantly influence DES severity, factors like screen brightness and viewing distance may play crucial roles.

Key words: Digital eye strain, computer vision syndrome, doctors.