Digital Eye Strain Caused by Online Education Among Children in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction Online learning is the educational format adopted by schools and universities during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It comprises Internet-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual classrooms, and digital collaborations. This study aims to assess digital eye str...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2022-04, Vol.14 (4), p.e23813-e23813
Main Authors: Aldukhayel, Abdulrhman, Baqar, Samah M, Almeathem, Fatimah K, Alsultan, Fatimah S, AlHarbi, Ghadah A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Childrens health
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Cross-sectional studies
Digital technology
Distance learning
Eyes & eyesight
Family/General Practice
Online instruction
Ophthalmology
Pandemics
Pediatrics
Screen time
Shelter in place
Smartphones
Sociodemographics
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Summary:Introduction Online learning is the educational format adopted by schools and universities during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It comprises Internet-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual classrooms, and digital collaborations. This study aims to assess digital eye strain (DES) among children attending online classes in the Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. Materials and methods This is a cross-sectional study conducted among children aged 3 to 18 years old in the Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. We sent out a self-administered questionnaire to parents of the targeted children by using social media, such as WhatsApp (Meta Platforms, Inc., Menlo Park, California, United States), Telegram (Telegram FZ LLC, Dubai), and Twitter (Twitter, Inc., San Francisco, California, United States). The questionnaire included questions on socio-demographic profile, smart devices being used, frequency of devices used per day before and during the lockdown, and DES.  Results  A total of 547 children were involved (50.3% males vs. 49.7% females). During online classes, the most commonly used device was tablets (51.2%). A significant increase was noticed in the use of devices during the COVID-19-related lockdown among children (p
ISSN:2168-8184
2168-8184
DOI:10.7759/cureus.23813