Binocular Vision Status in Normally-Sighted Business Administration College Students using Digital Devices
Keywords:
Menopause, Menopause, Mental health, Mental health, Hormonal fluctuations, Hormonal fluctuations, Mood disorders, Mood disorders, Anxiety, Anxiety, Depression, DepressionAbstract
Purpose: The rapid increase in digital device use among university students has raised concerns regarding its impact on binocular vision. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between screen time and binocular vision status in normally-sighted Business Administration students.
Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted on 340 students stratified into three groups based on daily screen exposure: <2 hours, 2–4 hours, and >4 hours. Data were collected on gender distribution, symptom severity using the Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS), ocular alignment status, and accommodation/vergence anomalies. Descriptive and comparative analyses were performed across groups.
Results: Females predominated in the <2-hour group (65%), whereas gender distribution approached parity with increased exposure (>4 hours: 48% male, 52% female). Symptom severity varied across groups: moderate symptoms remained stable, severe symptoms peaked in the 2–4 hour group (26%), and mild symptoms predominated among >4-hour users (45%). Orthophoria was the predominant ocular alignment, with exophoria (14.2–16.3%) as the only deviation, slightly increasing with screen time. Convergence insufficiency was the most frequent vergence anomaly (33.3–40.4%), while accommodative dysfunctions were less common (10.6–18.3%) but showed higher prevalence in moderate to high users. Vergence dysfunctions were more widespread than accommodative anomalies, affecting over 80% of participants across groups.
Conclusion: Prolonged screen use is associated with increased visual symptoms and a high prevalence of vergence dysfunctions, particularly convergence insufficiency. Routine binocular vision assessment and preventive strategies, including visual hygiene practices and structured breaks, are essential to safeguard ocular health in students with heavy digital demands.
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