Computer visual syndrome in university students in times of pandemic

Abstract

IntroductionOne of the consequences of prolonged use of bright screens such as those of the computer or cell phone, is the computer visual syndrome where characteristic symptoms are presented that normally disappear after a couple of hours when you stop using electronic devices. The prevalence is high due to multiple risk factors. ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of computer vision syndrome in medical students at the University of Boyacá in times of pandemic. MethodologyDescriptive and cross-sectional observational study. The study population were medical students, the data were collected in September and October of the year, an electronic survey was carried out for data collection. ResultsA total of 300 participants were invited to participate in the study. 78% (234) of participating students suffer from SVI. 67.09% (157) of the participants who reported suffering from SVI were female and 32.91% (77) were male. ConclusionsComputer visual syndrome is very common among medical students at the University of Boyacá. This study has shown that the presence of SVI has been significantly associated with exposure factors that were triggered during the pandemic period, where frequent virtual classes and long hours led to high exposure to screens. In addition, in the era of virtuality, communication through social networks increased the use of cell phones, which increases the possibility of the appearance of this syndrome.