Prevalence of self-reported computer vision syndrome symptoms and its associated factors among university students

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of symptoms of computer vision syndrome and to identify its associated factors. The secondary objective was to assess knowledge and practices related to preventing computer vision syndrome symptoms. Methods: The data for this cross-sectional study were collected through a self-administered questionnaire distributed to 713 female undergraduates studying business and medicine in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire included computer vision syndrome validated symptoms and factors associated with computer vision syndrome development. Results: The most common symptom due to prolonged computer use was neck or shoulder pain, reported by 82.2% of the subjects. Overall, 66.5% of the subjects suffered from headache and 51.5% from dry eyes, in mild, moderate, or severe form. Business students were 1.6 times as likely as medical students to suffer from computer vision syndrome (odds ratio = 1.65; 95% confidence interval: 1.22, 2.24). The use of electronic devices for more than 5 h (odds ratio = 1.52; 95% confidence interval: 1.07, 2.16) was also associated with experiencing computer vision syndrome symptoms. Regarding computer vision syndrome prevention, factors such as hours of use, screen distance, screen brightness, and room illumination showed statistically significant difference between the two groups (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: The prevalence of computer vision syndrome symptoms was significantly higher among business students, who reported lower awareness and poor practice measures of computer use recommendations. Relevant awareness campaigns focusing on the appropriate use of computers are highly recommended.

The Impact of Video Display Terminals on Ocular and Non-Ocular Health Among Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Among these symptoms neck pain was found to be most common (57%). This result was in line with the study by Tawil et al 24 82.2%. In the study by Logaraj et al 5 61% students reported neck and shoulder pain.…”

The frequency of symptoms of computer vision syndrome among medical college students in Islamabad.

“…Yet in another similar study in Saudi Arabia, dry eyes were reported by 51.5% of university students, which is quite high as compared to ours (33.8%). 12 While in a Sialkot study it was very close(32%) to ours. On the contrary, straining of eyes was reported by 48% of Sialkot students, which was contrastingly higher in our students (70.8%).…”

“…11 A similar study on university students in Saudi Arabia revealed that headache was experienced by 66.5% of the students, resulting from computer usage of more than 5 hrs, which is in line with our findings for the same duration of computer usage. 12 Results were in concordance with the Sialkot study, where headache was most common symptom (80%), followed by backache (60%). 13 When it came to usage of protective measures like anti-glare screens, it was equally lacking i.e., 62.5 % of our and 79.2% of students in Jamaican study never bothered to use it.…”

Computer vision syndrome prevalence according to individual and video display terminal exposure characteristics in Spanish university students

“…The study by Mowatt et al, 2 indicates that approximately 40% of students at a university in Jamaica used computers for more than 6 hours a day and that studying is the main reason for their use in 51.3% of cases. Two studies conducted amongst university students in Saudi Arabia reported disparate exposure data; while Al Rashidi et al, reported that 36.4% of students used a computer more than 4 hours a day, 4 Al Tawil et al, reported higher exposure, since approximately 50% of the students used computers more than 5 hours a day 5 . Other studies conducted at universities in Nepal, 6 Romania 7 and Malaysia, 3 reported that 6.7%, 25.5% and 26.2% of students, respectively, used VDTs more than 5 hours per day and that approximately 60% of students took regular breaks 3,6 .…”