Association between time spent on smartphones and digital eye strain: A 1-year prospective observational study among Hong Kong children and adolescents.

Publisher: Springer Country of Publication: Germany NLM ID: 9441769 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1614-7499 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 09441344 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Environ Sci Pollut Res Int Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: <2013->: Berlin : Springer
Original Publication: Landsberg, Germany : Ecomed

Smartphone* ; Vision Disorders*/etiology; Male ; Humans ; Adolescent ; Child ; Hong Kong ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Prospective Studies

Prolonged electronic screen use can cause digital eye strain. It can be difficult to rectify due to increasing smartphone reliance, potentially leading to serious public health problems. To investigate the association between time spent on smartphones and digital eye strain (DES) among Hong Kong Chinese school-aged children. Of a total of 1,508 students (748 males, 49.6%) from 8 to 14 years old (mean age = 10.91 years, SD = 2.01) who provided valid data on DES, the 1,298 (86%) who completed the DES questionnaire at 1-year follow-up were included in the analysis. DES was measured using a 10-item scale, and the sum of the 10 dichotomised scores was used as the DES total score. The most commonly reported symptoms were eye fatigue (n = 804, 53.3%), blurred vision (changing from reading to distance viewing) (n = 586, 38.9%), and irritated or burning eyes (n = 516, 34.2%). The DES total scores at baseline and 1-year follow-up were 2.91 (SD = 2.90) and 3.20 (SD = 3.19), respectively. Linear regression controlling for demographic and socio-economic confounders showed that participants with baseline smartphone usage of 241 + min/d had a significantly higher baseline total DES score than those with baseline smartphone usage of 0-60 min/d (2.44 vs 3.21, P < 0.001), and participants with baseline smartphone usage of 181-240 min/d had a significantly higher 1-year follow-up total DES score than those with baseline smartphone usage of 0-60 min/d (2.80 vs 3.50, P = 0.003).
(© 2023. The Author(s).)

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13144041 Health and Medical Research Fund

Keywords: Adolescents; Blurred vision; Chinese; Digital eye strain; Eye fatigue; Longitudinal study; Schoolchildren; Smartphones

Date Created: 20230329 Date Completed: 20230510 Latest Revision: 20230510

20240829

PMC10057686

10.1007/s11356-023-26258-0

36991204