Prevalence and Severity of Dry Eye Disease Among Prolonged Digital Device Users: A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61919/y49t2459Keywords:
Cross-sectional studies, dry eye syndromes, ocular surface, prevalence, risk factors, screen time, visual display terminals.Abstract
Background: Dry eye disease has become an increasingly important ocular surface disorder in the era of widespread digital device use, with prolonged screen exposure contributing to altered blinking, tear film instability, and visual discomfort. Objective: To determine the prevalence and severity of dry eye disease and evaluate its association with prolonged daily screen time among digital device users in Peshawar, Pakistan. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from March to October 2025 among 422 adults aged 18-45 years who used digital devices for at least 2 hours daily. Participants were assessed using the Ocular Surface Disease Index and SPEED questionnaires, followed by Tear Break-Up Time and Schirmer’s I testing. Mean differences in symptom severity across screen-time categories were evaluated using one-way ANOVA, and associations were assessed using Pearson’s correlation and logistic regression. Results: The mean age was 27.8 ± 6.1 years, and 55.5% of participants were female. The prevalence of dry eye disease based on OSDI was 80.1% (95% CI: 76.3%-83.9%), with 31.3% showing severe symptoms. TBUT below 10 seconds was observed in 63.5%, Schirmer’s I below 10 mm/5 min in 46.4%, and both abnormalities in 36.5%. Mean OSDI scores increased progressively across screen-time categories, reaching 45.7 ± 10.3 in participants with more than 6 hours of daily exposure. Screen time was strongly correlated with OSDI score (r = 0.71, p < 0.001), and users with more than 6 hours of exposure had 3.8-fold higher odds of moderate-to-severe dry eye. Conclusion: Dry eye disease was highly prevalent among prolonged digital device users, and its severity increased significantly with greater daily screen exposure. Regular screening, digital hygiene counseling, and public awareness measures may help reduce the burden of screen-associated ocular surface disease.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Israr, Noor-e-eman, Malaika Sardar, Um E Farwa, Hina Ali Ahmed, Ayesha Rahman (Author)
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