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. 2018 Aug 8;5(4):319-322.
doi: 10.14744/nci.2017.54036. eCollection 2018.

Effects of long-term computer use on eye dryness

Sezen Akkaya  1 , Tugba Atakan  1 , Banu Acikalin  1 , Sibel Aksoy  1 , Yelda Ozkurt  1
Affiliations

Effects of long-term computer use on eye dryness

Sezen Akkaya et al. North Clin Istanb. .

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effects of long-term computer use on tear production and evaporation.

Methods: In this study, 30 eyes of 30 people using computer for 8 hours a day were taken as the study group. In the control group, 30 eyes of 30 healthy individuals who did not spend 1 hour using computer on a daily basis were evaluated. The cases were examined at 8 am and 5 pm. The Schirmer test, tear break-up time (TBUT), and ocular surface disease index (OSDI) were evaluated.

Results: There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of age and gender. The Schirmer test results, which measure the parameters of tear production, were 16.80±2.04 and 15.50±2.06 mm (p>0.05) in the study group, and 17.28±1.52 and 17.16±2.53 in the control group. The TBUT measurements were 9.15±2.93 and 6.80±1.11 sec in the study group. It was observed that the evening TBUT decreased (p<0.05). The TBUT measurements were 15.80±3.15 sec and 15.20±1.92 sec (p>0.05) in the control group. The OSDI scores were 26.7±3.36 and 28.3±1.19 in the study group, and 25.0±4.48 and 27.3±2.27 in the control group.

Conclusion: As a result, it was found that a long-term computer use did not change the Schirmer test results significantly, but there were statistically significant changes in the tear break-up time (TBUT) results of the evaporative type eye dryness. According the our study results, long-term computer usage may cause an evaporative-type dry eye disease.

Keywords: Dry eye disease; Schirmer test; TBUT; use of computer.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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