Abstract
Background: Global estimates suggest that nearly 60 million people suffer from Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).Aim: The goal of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention using the 20/20/20 rule to reduce CVS symptoms.Setting: The study was conducted in the Qassim University eye clinic.Methods: An experiential intervention study was conducted amongst 40 patients with CVS, with their age ranging from 21 to 38 years. The sample was divided into two groups: (1) intervention patients (n = 20), who were given a structured advice booklet about how to reduce CVS symptoms using the 20/20/20 rule, and (2) control (n = 20) with CVS, who were given advice to simply drink more water. Both groups completed two questionnaires, namely, the CVS-Q and Dry Eye Questionnaire-5 (DEQ-5). Dry eye clinical tests were performed. The same procedures were repeated after 20 days to compare the outcomes before and after intervention.Results: The study findings revealed that patients complaining from dry eye symptoms showed significant changes after the educational intervention (pre-intervention: 9.05 ± 4.32; post-intervention: 7.10 ± 3.61) (p = 0.04). The symptoms of CVS were slightly reduced after educational intervention, from 9.00 ± 3.03 to 8.35 ± 1.89 (p = 0.38). However, TBUT showed a significant increase after the educational intervention (pre-intervention: 6.20 ± 2.02 s; post-intervention: 8.55 ± 2.84 s) (p = 0.005).Conclusion: The educational intervention of the 20/20/20 rule induces significant changes in dry eye symptoms and tear film and some limited changes for ocular surface integrity.
Highlights
Computer vision syndrome (CVS), referred to as digital eye strain, is a growing public health issue, with global estimates suggesting that nearly 60 million people suffer from it.[1,2] This is mainly a result of the amount of time spent behind digital screens, which has increased dramatically in the past few decades.[3]
The study findings revealed that patients complaining from dry eye symptoms showed significant changes after the educational intervention (p = 0.04)
Computer Vision Syndrome Questionnaire and Dry Eye Questionnaire 5 results As shown in Table 1, there were no significant changes in CVS scores between visits in either intervention (p = 0.38) or control group (p = 0.42) (Figures 1 and 2)
Summary
Computer vision syndrome (CVS), referred to as digital eye strain, is a growing public health issue, with global estimates suggesting that nearly 60 million people suffer from it.[1,2] This is mainly a result of the amount of time spent behind digital screens, which has increased dramatically in the past few decades.[3]. The American Optometric Association defines CVS as a combination of eye and vision problems associated with the use of computers. These symptoms result from the individual having insufficient visual capabilities to perform the computer task comfortably. A review of published articles over the last 65 years reported that symptoms of CVS were classified into internal ocular symptoms (eye strain and headache), external ocular symptoms (irritation, dryness and burning), visual symptoms (blur, double vision) and musculoskeletal symptoms (neck and shoulder pain).[3] The prevalence of visual symptoms resulting from CVS was higher amongst subjects who spent more than 4 h working on video display terminals (VDTs).[6] Smita et al reported that almost 62% of individuals who use computers for more than 6 h daily have CVS symptoms.[7] Studies[5,8,9] have revealed that the symptoms of CVS are more prevalent amongst spectacle and contact lens wearers. Global estimates suggest that nearly 60 million people suffer from Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS)
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