Relation between Smartphone Use and Unilateral Ocular Pain and Headache

Abstract

Ocular pain and headache may stem from many causes, ranging from infections and inflammations to radiating pain. Nowadays, use of smartphones may be an emerging cause of unilateral ocular pain and headache, especially in young population. In this study, we implemented a survey and examined the eyes of patients who used smartphones with 20/20 vision. The patients with normal neurologic and ear-nose-throat (ENT) examination findings comprised the study group. The age, duration of smartphone use, ocular examination findings, and results of ocular surface disease index (OSDI) were recorded. An association between smartphone use and ocular pain/headache was found. Spherical equivalent values of the patients with headache or ocular pain were significantly lower than those who had no pain. The OSDI scores of patients with ocular pain were significantly higher than others without ocular pain. Adverse effects of smartphone use on ocular surface and over accommodation induced by near vision may have an effect on the occurrence of ocular pain and headache.

Smartphones Addiction and its Correlates among University Students, Egypt

“…Studies have also shown the adverse effects of smartphones addiction on quality of sleep [5], physical activity [8] and academic performance [9]. Smartphones addiction also have harmful physical consequences like headache, blurred vision, neck and shoulder pain and impairment of hand function [10][11][12]. There are not enough available researches about smartphones addiction among young people in Egypt.…”