Dry eye disease related to digital screen exposure in medical students

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the magnitude and severity of dry eye disease (DED) in medical students as per assessed by the questionnaire Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and Schirmer's test. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study of a 2-month duration involving medical students was conducted to determine the magnitude and severity of DED. Dry eye was assessed through self-administered questionnaire, Schirmer's test, and OSDI scoring. Results: The most common symptom among the participants was eyestrain in 39% (N = 31) followed by headache in 33% (N = 26). Based on Schirmer's test, 75% (n = 60) of the participants were normal, 8% (n = 6) students had mild DED, 5% (N = 4) students with moderate DED, and 11% (N = 9) students had severe DED. Based on OSDI scoring, 59% (n = 47) participants were normal, 28% (n = 21) had mild DED, 11% (N = 9) had moderate, while 2% (N = 2) had severe DED. Conclusion: In this era of digitalization, DED has engulfed the younger population who are spending greater hours on different digital devices. The prevalence of symptomatic dry eyes in our study was 41% while it was 25% based on signs. This should raise concern among the caregivers to increase awareness regarding dry eyes and give strict guidelines restricting screen time. The use of ergonomic practices such as appropriate lighting in a room, adjusting digital screen parameters (resolution, text size, contrast, and luminance), and taking frequent breaks while using the screen should be encouraged.