Prevalence of Asthenopia and Its Relationship with Electronic Screen Usage During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Jazan, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Ismail Abuallut; Elham A Qumayi; Azah Jabir Mohana; Norah M Almalki; Majdah E Ghilan; Fatimah H Dallak; Sarah Mohammed Mahzari; Almoayad Makrami; Amal Tawhari; Reham Eissa Ajeebi; Sultan Mousa Bakri

doi:10.2147/OPTH.S377541

Prevalence of Asthenopia and Its Relationship with Electronic Screen Usage During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Jazan, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Clin Ophthalmol. 2022 Sep 27:16:3165-3174. doi: 10.2147/OPTH.S377541. eCollection 2022.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Surgery, Ophthalmology Division, College of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
² College of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
³ Jazan University Hospital, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Ophthalmology Department, Prince Mohammed bin Naser Hospital, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the connection between the prevalence of asthenopia and the use of electronic devices in Jazan, Saudi Arabia, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patients and methods: Asthenopia prevalence and its connection to electronic screens during the COVID-19 pandemic were evaluated in an analytical, cross-sectional investigation among the Jazan population. The sample population included 784 participants. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a pre-tested, organized, and self-administered questionnaire was used as the study method. Social media invitations were used to contact the sample group.

Results: Of the 784 participants, 587 (74.96%) had asthenopia symptoms after using digital devices at the end of the day. A total of 56.30% used digital gadgets for > 6 hours each day, whereas 55.36% spent <2 hours per day reading papers or books or writing. Daily usage of digital gadgets did not significantly differ from asthenopia (p=0.46), as well as reading papers, books, or writing and asthenopia (p=0.098). A total of 45.92% of the study population maintained digital devices/books at a distance <25 cm, which was significantly associated with symptoms of asthenopia (p=0.048). Furthermore, 90.10% of the sample population used laptops, cellphones, and iPads before going to bed or after turning off lights. A total of 63.52% preferred using devices while lying in bed. There was no positive link between asthenopia symptoms and cellphone usage at bedtime or after turning off lights (p=0.028).

Conclusion: Digital technology is used by people of all ages for a wide range of daily activities, including education, employment, business, and recreation. We concluded that this group had a high prevalence of asthenopia, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The high frequency of asthenopia emphasizes the significance of conducting public awareness campaigns concerning asthenopia symptoms and prevention methods.

Keywords: asthenopia; computer vision syndrome; coronavirus disease; mobile phones; video display terminals.