Dry Eye NewsSmartphone Use Linked to Dry Eye in Schoolchildren
April 2014 — There might be another cost associated with children using smartphones besides a large monthly bill from the phone company: It could be causing kids to develop dry eye disease at an early age. That's the finding of a new study published in this month's issue of Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.
Researchers in Korea evaluated risk factors for dry eye disease among schoolchildren who used a variety of video devices, including smartphones. They examined 288 children and classified them as either having dry eyes or having a normal, moist eye surface (control group). Each child completed a questionnaire concerning the types of video devices they commonly used (computer, smartphone and television) and the amount of time they spent using each device.
Among the participants, 28 children (9.7 percent) were diagnosed as having dry eyes, and 260 children (90.3 percent) comprised the control group. Smartphone use was more common in the dry eyes group than the control group (71 percent vs. 50 percent), and increased daily duration of smartphone use was associated with increased risk of dry eye disease, as was the total hours per day spent using all video devices combined.
One interesting finding is that increased duration of computer use and television viewing measured separately did not increase the risk of dry eye disease.
The study authors concluded that smartphone use is an important dry eye disease risk factor in children, and that parents should monitor the amount of time their children spend using video displays, especially smartphones, on a daily basis. — G.H.
April 2014 — There might be another cost associated with children using smartphones besides a large monthly bill from the phone company: It could be causing kids to develop dry eye disease at an early age. That's the finding of a new study published in this month's issue of Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.
Researchers in Korea evaluated risk factors for dry eye disease among schoolchildren who used a variety of video devices, including smartphones. They examined 288 children and classified them as either having dry eyes or having a normal, moist eye surface (control group). Each child completed a questionnaire concerning the types of video devices they commonly used (computer, smartphone and television) and the amount of time they spent using each device.
Among the participants, 28 children (9.7 percent) were diagnosed as having dry eyes, and 260 children (90.3 percent) comprised the control group. Smartphone use was more common in the dry eyes group than the control group (71 percent vs. 50 percent), and increased daily duration of smartphone use was associated with increased risk of dry eye disease, as was the total hours per day spent using all video devices combined.
One interesting finding is that increased duration of computer use and television viewing measured separately did not increase the risk of dry eye disease.
The study authors concluded that smartphone use is an important dry eye disease risk factor in children, and that parents should monitor the amount of time their children spend using video displays, especially smartphones, on a daily basis. — G.H.