Dry Eye Disease among Young Pakistanis: Association with Digital Screen Use

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of digital screen use on dry eye disease (DED) and ocular health in the young Pakistani population. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Ophthalmology, Federal General Hospital and Shifa Foundation Community Health Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan, from July 2022 to June 2023. METHODOLOGY: A total of 232 participants aged 13-25 years presenting for refraction were enrolled. Data on digital eye symptoms, type of digital devices used, and duration and pattern of screen exposure were collected. All participants underwent a detailed ocular examination, including tear film breakup time (TBUT) and Schirmer test. The association between digital screen use and DED was evaluated using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: The median age of the study population was 20 (6.75) years, with 49.1% male population. Digital device-related ocular complaints were reported by 74.2% of participants. Headache was the most common symptom (21.6%), followed by eye fatigue (20.3%). A significant positive correlation was observed between the Schirmer test and TBUT values (Spearman's ρ = 0.337, p