ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DIGITAL EYE STRAIN AND SLEEP QUALITY AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS – A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Sobana Tamilselvan*, N. Nisharani, M. Karthika, M. Pavithra, A. Deiva, S. Manoj

Digital Eye Strain (DES) refers to the onset or aggravation of recurring eye-related symptoms and signs resulting from the use of digital device screens. Preliminary definition of sleep quality is how the individual feels upon waking and throughout the day, feeling rested and restored after waking, and the number of awakenings experienced during the night. DES negatively affected sleep quality because Prolonged digital device use. Hence, we aimed to assess the association between Digital Eye Strain (DES) and sleep quality among college students. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 114 students aged 18–25 years at Pachamuthu College of Pharmacy. DES and sleep quality were assessed using CVS-Q and PSQI, and the data were analysed using SPSS to determine their relationship. Among 108 participants, the mean age was 20.6 years, with 71.3% females. The mean DES score was 19.01 ± 4.49, and PSQI score was 3.61 ± 2.28. Most participants (92.6%) had mild DES. DES and sleep quality showed a very weak, non-significant correlation (ρ = 0.05, p > 0.05). The study found a high prevalence of mild digital eye strain among participants, but no significant association was observed between digital eye strain and sleep quality. The weak correlation may be influenced by lifestyle, screen-use habits, and the predominance of mild DES symptoms. The study concluded that DES and sleep quality had a very weak and non-significant correlation (ρ = 0.05). Further large-scale studies were needed to examine the relationship between screen time, bedtime device use, sleep habits and sleep quality.