Accommodative Stimulus-Response Curve with Emoji Symbols.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Optometry
• Vision Science

Background:

• The increasing use of smartphones has raised questions about their impact on visual function.
• Emoji symbols are commonly used in digital communication, potentially replacing traditional text.
• Understanding how these symbols affect visual responses like accommodation is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of detailed and nondetailed emoji symbols on the static measurement of the accommodative stimulus-response curve.
• To compare accommodative responses elicited by emoji targets versus traditional text.

Main Methods:

• The accommodative stimulus-response curve was measured in 18 participants using a Hartmann-Shack sensor.
• Objective accommodative response was determined via the Zernike defocus term across accommodative demands from 0 to 3 diopters.
• Detailed and nondetailed emoji targets of varying sizes were presented.

Main Results:

• A high determination coefficient (R² ≥ 0.988) indicated a strong fit for all targets.
• Slopes of the averaged stimulus-response curve ranged from 0.58 to 0.66, showing statistically significant accommodative response (p < 0.01).
• No significant difference in accommodative response was observed between detailed and nondetailed emoji targets or between different sizes.

Conclusions:

• Replacing words with emoji symbols does not appear to alter the accommodative response in individuals with normal vision under typical smartphone usage conditions.
• These findings suggest that emoji use is unlikely to negatively impact accommodation during smartphone use.