Assessment of digital eye strain and its associated factors among school children in Palestine

Digital eyestrain (DES) is a collection of ocular and vision symptoms caused by prolonged use of digital devices that can greatly impact schoolchildren's daily activities and learning. The main purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of DES among schoolchildren and the associated risk factors in Palestine.

From the 1st of April 2024 to the 30th of May 2024, a total of 492 school children who met the criteria for DES screening in the selected schools were included in the study. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was utilized with a self-structured questionnaire. The sample consisted of schoolchildren aged 11 to 18 years. The questionnaire is structured into three sections: (1) Sociodemographic information, (2) Information regarding the digital device used, and (3) DES assessment by using the Computer Vision Syndrome Questionnaire, and the visual acuity was measured using the Snellen chart. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 25 with a 95% CI.

The study analysis showed that 44.1% of school children experience DES. Snellen chart test analysis showed that 28.25% of students had results exceeding a score of six for either the right or left eye. For both eyes combined, (14.63%) of students had examination results greater than six. After conducting univariate analysis, statistically significant risk factors (p-value less than 0.05) affecting the development of DES in our study were posture, smartphone use at bedtime, and duration of device use, watching movies, social networking, and screen brightness. Moreover, females, older students, and those using devices closer than 30 cm or owning multiple devices reported higher eyestrain scores.

The current research found that Palestinian school children significantly experience eyestrain, indicating the influence of digital devices on eye health. The study results emphasize the need for early detection to prevent future eye health complications.