Computer Vision Syndrome Among Medical Students at the University of Khartoum, Sudan: Prevalence and Associated Factors

Abstract

Background and aims Regular continuous uninterrupted use of electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and computers, can result in a spectrum of vision-related symptoms known as computer vision syndrome. Students today can readily access information and books on their smartphones and computers, which reduces their reliance on printed texts. Numerous muscle-related and ocular complaints could arise from this. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of computer vision syndrome symptoms among medical students at the University of Khartoum and to identify its contributing factors. The secondary objective was to evaluate practices and knowledge related to computer vision syndrome prevention. Methods This study is a facility-based cross-sectional observation aimed at describing medical students' characteristics at the University of Khartoum. The sampling strategy employed was stratified random sampling, and a structured online questionnaire was used to collect the data. A total of 149 students completed the self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire included questions on sociodemographic data, validated symptoms of computer vision syndrome, and factors associated with the syndrome's development. Data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.), simple descriptive statistics were calculated, and odds ratios and Pearson’s chi-square test were employed to examine and quantify the association between variables. Results Of the 149 participants, 58.4% were female, while males made up 41.6% of the study sample. The prevalence of computer vision syndrome has been found to be 94%, and 72.4% of the students reported experiencing at least three symptoms of computer vision syndrome. Neck and shoulder pain was the most commonly reported symptom (78.5%), followed by headache (70.5%), while the least reported symptom was eye redness (36.2%). The majority of students (81.2%) used electronic devices for five or more hours a day, and the most common posture while using electronic devices was lying down, as reported by 54.4% of the students. A total of 68% of the medical students in this study reported keeping a distance that was shorter than the suggested 40 centimeters from the screen, and only 18.1% were aware of the 20-20-20 rule (every 20 minutes look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds). The seating position has been found to be significantly associated with the number of symptoms experienced (p=0.012); sitting with a bent back was 4.6 times more likely to cause more than three symptoms when compared to sitting upright with a straight back (OR=4.643; 95% CI: 1.63-13.21; p=0.004). Conclusion There was a very high prevalence of computer vision syndrome among medical students at the University of Khartoum. Most students had poor awareness and bad practices regarding the safe use of electronic devices. Awareness campaigns to encourage good practices and enable the safe use of computers and o...

Computer vision syndrome among Sudanese medical students: a growing medical issue in the digital world

“…Regarding CVS-associated factors, our results highlighted the importance of screen distance and the use of screen filters, both significantly associated with CVS development. These findings align with previous research 19 , 23 , although the efficacy of screen filters in reducing CVS prevalence has been debated 19 , 24 .…”

“…Compared to previous studies which reported a wide prevalence range of 12–97% among medical students, our study’s prevalence falls within the lower range 2 . Notably, our prevalence is lower than those reported in studies from China (74.3%), India (77.5%), Egypt (86.0%), and Sudan medical schools (94.5%) 9 , 12 – 14 , but higher than a study from Japan 12 . This difference may be attributed to variations in diagnostic methods and tools used to diagnose CVS.…”

“…The position of studying was not found to be associated with CVS in our study, which is in contrast to a study by Gadain et al . who concluded that sitting position was associated with the development of CVS among Sudanese medical students 9 . In our study, 47.8% of the respondents believed that they should take a break every 30–60 min, while 27.8% believed that they should take a break for 30 min or less.…”

“…Poor sitting posture, short distances from the screen, and screen positioning have also been identified as contributing factors 2 , 6 – 8 . The AOA has recommended preventive measures for computer users, such as following the 20-20-20 rule, ensuring frequent blinking, and maintaining sufficient room illumination 9 – 12 .…”

“…Given the extensive use of electronic devices among medical students, there’s a heightened risk of CVS development. A study in Sudan highlighted a high prevalence of CVS among medical students, with sitting posture correlating with symptom severity 9 . However, there’s a dearth of data on CVS within our context.…”