Prevalence of Asthenopia and Its Relationship with Digital Device Usage and Academic Performance Among Medical Students

Abstract

Background: Asthenopia, referred to as visual fatigue, was a collection of symptoms that occurred due to prolonged eye use, during activities like reading, using digital screens, or performing close-up tasks. However, the relationship between asthenopia and digital device use remained unexplored.

Objective: Study aimed to determine the prevalence of asthenopia and its association with digital device used and to assess academic performance using CGPA among medical students.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Karachi involving 336 participants aged 18–30 years. Participants completed a validated Dry Eye Questionnaire (DEQ-5) to assess asthenopia severity and a structured  Questionnaire. Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants, and the data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 by applying Cohen’s kappa statistic and correlation analysis to identify the relationship between asthenopia and digital device use.

Results: The prevalence of asthenopia in the sample was 15.7% with headache and eyestrain, 15.4% with headache and itchy eyes, 16.0% with headache and blurred vision, 7.1% with headache and dry eyes, 11.2% with headache and red eyes, 12.1% with headache and aching eyes, and 10.4% with headache and eye burning. Cohen’s kappa analysis revealed no significant correlation between asthenopia and academic performance (p-value = 0.888).

Conclusion: There was no statistically significant relationship between asthenopia severity and academic performance. The findings suggested that there was a high prevalence of asthenopia among desktop computer users, with no significant impact on academic performance. These results emphasized the need for visual health measures regardless of academic productivity.