MAGNITUDE OF DIGITAL EYE STRAIN AMONG UNDER GRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS

Abstract

The present study aimed to assess the magnitude of digital eye strain and accommodation and convergence among under graduate medical students.

Materials and methods: A private hospital-based, cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among undergraduate medical students aged >18 years from January 2023 to June 2025. A total of 300 students were enrolled using a self-administered questionnaire. A predesigned proforma collected data on socio-demographic details, health status, seating position, viewing distance, device-related factors, duration of device use, awareness of digital eye strain, and protective habits during VDT use. The prevalence and severity of digital eye strain were assessed using the validated DES-Q questionnaire, and convergence insufficiency was evaluated using an objective assessment method.

Results: In the present study, Digital eye strain (DES) was reported by 54% (162 out of 300) of participants. Most students were aged 19–21 years (59.3%), with females constituting a slightly higher proportion (56.3%) than males (43.7%). The majority belonged to the upper-middle socioeconomic class (81.7%). Regarding device-use practices, 57% maintained an appropriate seating position, while 43% did not, and 63.7% viewed screens at a distance of less than 50 cm. More than half of the participants had been using VDT devices for 6–10 years (54%), and daily device use was equally distributed between ≤4 hours and >4 hours. Use of VDT filters was reported by 50.7% of participants, while awareness regarding digital eye strain was low (37%). Most eye-related characteristics showed no significant association with DES; however, significant associations were noted with the level of the top of the computer screen (p=0.024), average daily VDT use (p=0.015), use of VDT filters (p<0.001). 77.8% of participants demonstrated abnormal accommodation levels, while 74.1% had normal convergence values

Conclusion: The study confirms a high prevalence of Digital Eye Strain among medical under graduates, highlighting the need for better ergonomic practices and increased awareness.