Prolonged screen exposure may cause ocular surface symptoms in children
Increased exposure to digital devices may cause ocular surface symptoms in healthy children without causing changes in ocular surface findings, according to data published in Optometry and Vision Science.
“Due to the changing lifestyle, children of developing age are more at risk for the development of ocular symptoms caused by increasing screen exposure,” Burcu Kazanc, MD, and Fatma Corak Eroglu, MD, wrote. “In this study, we aimed to evaluate the duration of screen exposure and the effect of this duration on ocular surface findings and symptoms in randomly selected 10- to 18-year-old healthy children in our society.”
The cross-sectional observational study took place in Turkey and included 200 healthy children with a mean age of 14 years. Researchers recorded participants’ screen exposure times and evaluated the effect of screen exposure on the ocular surface by using tear breakup time, keratoepitheliopathy (Oxford) score and Schirmer test. Findings were compared between participants reporting less than 2 hours of daily screen exposure and those reporting more than 2 hours. Subjective dry eye symptoms were assessed using the Ocular Surface Disease Index.
The study found that 88.5% of the participants used mobile phones or computers daily. In all participants, mean tear breakup time was 10.3 seconds, mean Schirmer test score was 15.6 mm, mean Oxford score was 0.4 and mean OSDI score was 23.5. There were no statistically significant differences for these parameters between participants with more than 2 hours of screen exposure and those with less than 2 hours.
There was no corneal staining detected in 83.5% of participants; 67.5% of participants had mild to severe ocular surface disease based on the OSDI.
“In our results, ocular surface symptoms increased as screen exposure increased in children, although the conventional tear parameters were found to be normal,” the researchers wrote.
There was a statistically significant weak positive correlation (P = .001) between OSDI score and screen exposure time. However, no correlation was found between screen exposure time and tear breakup time, Schirmer test and Oxford score.
“Considering that almost all school-age children have contact with smartphones or computers, it is important to be aware that symptomatic ocular surface disorder may develop in this age group even if there are no signs of dry eye,” the study authors wrote. “This may be a precursor of more serious ocular surface problems from excessive screen contact in these children on their way to becoming adults. Children and their families should be informed about ophthalmological problems caused by screen contact.”
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