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- DOI 10.18231/j.ijceo.2022.079
-
CrossMark
Effect of long-term exposure of digital devices during the COVID-19 pandemic and on ocular health
- Author Details:
-
Komal Sharma *
-
Dipti Bharti
-
Danish Bushra
-
Shivani Gupta
-
Madishetti Naveen Kumar
-
Ghanshyam Das
-
Mohd Sadath Ali Khan
Komal Sharma *
Dipti Bharti
Introduction
With time & the advent of technology, the usage of computers, laptops, tablets & smartphones has seen a steady increase in the past few years.[1], [2] These digital devices require to be held at a distance that is intermediate between near and distance vision, thereby causing strain on the visual system designed for comfortable near & distance vision. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic & the worldwide lockdown has immediately followed by a drastic increase in the amount of time spent on these gadgets.[3], [4], [5]
According to the American Optometric Association, as little as >2 hours of continuous digital device usage per day is enough to develop an array of eye & vision-related problems & referred to as “digital eye strain”.[4]
Prolonged use of digital devices causes “computer vision syndrome”.[6], [7], [1], [2], [8]
Materials and Methods
This study is based on a quantitative, descriptive cross-sectional design with a semi-structured South Delhi population questionnaire. An online survey has been taken by the platform Google forms. Participants are considered from 08 years & too less than 50 years who use digital devices are included as any systemic illness and trauma, were excluded. More than 8 years of age participants were questioned with 16 questionnaires ([Table 1]) through a survey by online mode via social media platforms through the mail, Facebook, etc. the questions are designed to compare the effect of digital gadgets before and after a lockdown on participants of the South Delhi Population. As a result, questions give the status of Day-to-Day exposure to digital gadgets due to working from home during COVID 19. The responses are providing the level of knowledge about their digital gadget exposure. Participants’ information is taken confidentially with informed consent. Ethical approval has been taken by the Institutional ethical committee of Jamia Hamdard New Delhi before the study. The collected data has been studied with statistical analysis that has been done using Microsoft Excel and noted in percentile format by using SPSS software ([Table 3]). Participants above 8 years of age with normal health, have been taken into the study as Inclusion Criteria.
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1. |
Name |
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2. |
Email Address |
|
3. |
Phone Number |
|
4. |
Gender |
|
5. |
Your Age. |
|
6. |
Myself (current designation) |
|
7. |
The main purpose of most the digital devices usages |
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8. |
Total no. of hours of digital device usage (smartphone +laptop+ Monitor) per day BEFORE the lockdown was implemented. |
|
9 |
Total no. of hours of digital device usage (smartphone +laptop+ desktop) per day during the lockdown was implemented. |
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10. |
How often do you experience these symptoms? |
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11. |
What is the severity of these symptoms? |
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12. |
Has the frequency or intensity with which you experience these symptoms increased since the lockdown was started |
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13. |
Are you using spectacles? |
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14. |
Is your spectacle power increased during this pandemic |
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15. |
If yes, then what's your previous power & present power of the spectacle. If no, then fill nil answer |
|
16. |
Are you feeling stressed or restless due to the prolonged use of digital devices? |
Result
The survey has completed 156 subjects. In this study, Females participated more than males, with 58.3% ([Figure 1]). With 30.76%, the >50 age group was found to participate, and at 13-31 years of age, participation was found to be more with 60% ([Figure 2]). Most individuals use digital devices because of work from home with 44.2% ([Figure 3]). Before the lockdown, the duration of digital device usage is not there between 4 and 6 hrs but after the lockdown, due to working from home, it has been increased by 35% ([Figure 4]) as 52.9% of participants feel headaches due to prolonged use of digital devices ([Figure 5]). 72.3% of participants feel restless due to prolonged use of digital devices ([Figure 8]). As most of the participants are using spectacles, they seemed to change their spectacle power in COVID 19 with 83% ([Figure 7]).
|
Variables |
N=156 |
Percentage |
|
|
Age |
<13 years |
1 |
0.6% |
|
13-30 years |
103 |
60% |
|
|
31-40 years |
3 |
1.9% |
|
|
41-50 years |
4 |
2.6% |
|
|
>50 years |
48 |
30.76% |
|
|
Gender |
Males |
56 |
41% |
|
|
Females |
99 |
58.3% |
|
|
Others |
1 |
0.7% |
|
Occupation |
Student |
24 |
15.4% |
|
|
Medical professional |
18 |
11.5% |
|
|
Non-medical professional |
41 |
26.3% |
|
|
Other |
76 |
48.8% |
|
Variable |
N=158 |
Percentage |
|
The main purpose of digital devices usage |
||
|
Education |
20 |
12.8% |
|
Work from home |
69 |
44.2% |
|
Lessiure/ entertainment |
23 |
14.7% |
|
All of the above |
44 |
28.2% |
|
Duration of digital devices usages before the lockdown |
||
|
<2 hours |
16 |
10.3% |
|
2-4 hours |
32 |
20.6% |
|
4-6 hours |
- |
- |
|
6-9 hours |
16 |
10.3% |
|
10- 12 hours |
18 |
11.6% |
|
12- 14 hours |
74 |
47.43% |
|
Others |
- |
- |
|
Duration of digital devices usages during the lockdown |
||
|
<2 hours |
- |
- |
|
2-4 hours |
- |
- |
|
4-6 hours |
55 |
35.25% |
|
6-9 hours |
14 |
9% |
|
10- 12 hours |
49 |
31.6% |
|
12- 14 hours |
21 |
31.5% |
|
Others |
17 |
11% |
|
Variables |
N=156 |
Percentage |
|
Decrease visual acuity |
16 |
10.3% |
|
Burning of eyes |
59 |
38.1% |
|
Color halos |
07 |
4.5% |
|
Difficulties in focusing the printing test |
16 |
10.3% |
|
Diplopia |
0 |
3.8% |
|
Dryness |
42 |
27.1% |
|
Excessive blink |
9 |
5.8% |
|
Ocular pain |
33 |
21.3% |
|
The feeling of a foreign body |
9 |
5.8% |
|
The feeling of sight got worsened |
11 |
7.1% |
|
Headache |
82 |
52.9% |
|
Eyelid become heavy |
20 |
12.9% |
|
Increase sensitivity to light |
19 |
12.3% |
|
Itching |
35 |
17.4% |
|
Redness |
59 |
22.6% |
|
Watering |
22 |
38.1% |
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None of the above |
26 |
14.2% |
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How often do you experience the symptoms? |
||
|
Sometimes while using a digital device |
46 |
29.7% |
|
Always while using a digital device |
34 |
21.9% |
|
Never |
- |
- |
|
Rare |
- |
- |
|
Sometimes or rarely while using a digital device |
49 |
31.6 |
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What is the severity of the symptoms? |
||
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Relieved spontaneously after sometimes of digital devices usage |
64 |
41% |
|
Relieved only on sleep |
60 |
38.5% |
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No experience |
32 |
20.5% |
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Has the frequency or intensity with which you experience these symptoms increased since the lockdown was started? |
||
|
Yes |
117 |
75% |
|
No |
39 |
25% |
|
Variables |
N= 156 |
Percentage |
|
Are you using spectacles? |
||
|
Yes |
79 |
50.6% |
|
No |
77 |
49.4% |
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Is your spectacle’s power increased during the pandemic? |
||
|
Yes |
129 |
82.7% |
|
No |
27 |
17.3% |
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Are you feeling stressed or restless due to prolonged use of digital devices? |
||
|
Yes |
119 |
76.3% |
|
No |
37 |
23.7% |
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Are you feeling irritated due to the loss of internet connectivity? |
||
|
Yes |
111 |
71.2% |
|
No |
45 |
28.8% |
Discussion
This study shows that most of the participants say that the reason for using digital devices is to work from home and says that they have and says that their spectacle power has been increased due to this by 82.7%. Most of the participants were females with 58%. A study done by Pratyusha Ganne concluded that the prevalence of eye strain was higher among students taking online classes compared to the general public (50.6% vs 33.2%).[9] Our study found that 44.2% majority of participants had exposure to digital devices due to work from home, i.e. online digital exposure. The results of these studies discussed above show similarities with our current study which shows that many participants have to come in contact with digital devices due to online mode. In our study, 35.25% of the participants are found to have more digital exposure during the lockdown. Another study which was done by Balsam Alabdulkader also noted that 78% of participants reported more digital exposure during lockdown.[3]
Conclusion
It was discovered that before the lockdown the duration of digital device usage is not there between 4 to 6 hrs but during the lockdown, due to working from home it has increased and headache as an asymptomatic symptom is noticed more during prolonged use of digital devices in lockdown.
Source of Funding
None.
Conflict of Interest
None.
References
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