Optom Vis Sci. 2021 Dec 9. doi: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000001840. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
SIGNIFICANCE: Digital devices usage among children has increased significantly in recent years. Prolonged screen exposure can have adverse effects on the eye, especially on the ocular surface.
PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the duration of screen exposure and its effect on the ocular surface in healthy children aged 10-18 years.
METHODS: This cross-sectional observational study included 200 healthy children. Screen exposure times of the children were ascertained, and the effect of screen exposure on the ocular surface was evaluated using tear breakup time, kerato-epitheliopathy (Oxford) score, and Schirmer test. The Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) was used to assess subjective dry eye symptoms. Findings for subjects with a daily screen exposure time of fewer than two hours were compared to those reporting more than two hours of screen time. Statistical evaluation included the Shapiro-Wilk test, Student’s t test and Pearson correlation analysis.
RESULTS: The mean age was 14 ± 2.6 years and 88.5% of the participants used mobile phones or computers every day. The mean tear breakup time was 10.3 ± 4.1 seconds, and Schirmer test was 15.6 ± 4.7 mm. The Oxford score was 0.4 ± 1, and no corneal staining was detected in 83.5% of the subjects. The mean OSDI score was 23.5 ± 17.8, and 67.5% of subjects had a mild-to-severe ocular surface disease. When daily screen exposure times below and above two hours were compared, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in tear breakup time, Schirmer test, Oxford score, and OSDI score. While there was a statistically significant weak positive correlation (r = .307, P = .001) between OSDI score and screen exposure time, there was no correlation between tear breakup time, Schirmer test, and Oxford score and screen exposure time.
CONCLUSIONS: Screen exposure in healthy children may cause ocular surface symptoms without causing changes in ocular surface findings.
PMID:34889855 | DOI:10.1097/OPX.0000000000001840
