The correlation between near vision and smartphone use among ageing populations

This population-based, cross-sectional study aimed to assess the correlation between near vision and smartphone usage among people aged ≥50 years in China.

This study was performed on the ocular health status of residents in Fujian Province, Southeast China. People aged ≥50 years were recruited. The main contents of the survey for the residents included socioeconomic status, uncorrected near visual acuity (UNVA), refractive state, as well as a questionnaire about smartphone usage and visual quality.

Smartphone adoption accounted for 67.7% (4,702 individuals) of the total population, which decreased with age in the elderly. Smartphone owners had a higher average UNVA of 0.31±0.18 than non-smartphone owners (0.23±0.14), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). Individuals who used smartphones for a long time usually had better UNVA (Pearson correlation coefficient 0.144, P<0.001). The rates of complaints of distance vision loss, near vision loss, ocular surface discomfort in smartphone users were significantly higher than that of non-users (P<0.001). Also, smartphone adoption and visual quality differed between urban and rural respondents.

Smartphone adoption and usage time in the elderly significantly decreased with age and UNVA, and the performance of visual impairment was not consistent in urban and rural areas.