Association of Screen Time with Refractive Error and Computer Vision Syndrome in Young Adults

Aim: To evaluate the impact of screen time on refractive error, ocular surface health, and the prevalence of computer vision syndrome (CVS) symptoms in young adults in Aizawl, Mizoram, India. Methodology: This cross-sectional questionnaire-based, single-visit study was conducted on 90 students using a convenient sampling method. Data from 78 students, who had no active ocular infections, ocular diseases, history of ocular surgery, and had complete records, were included in the final analysis. Results: The study found no significant correlation between refractive error and screen time (OD: R = −0.038, OS: R = −0.016). However, there was an indicative correlation between increased screen time and ocular surface parameters, including Schirmer I (OD: R = −0.131, OS: R = −0.140), Schirmer II (OD: R = −0.108, OS: R = −0.005), and tear breakup time (TBUT) (OD: R = −0.055, OS: R = −0.122). A weak positive correlation was found between screen time and CVS scores ( r = 0.018), though not statistically significant. Among the participants, 44.87% had 40–49 h of screen time per week, and 44.87% were myopic. Schirmer I and II tests showed reduced tear production in 7.05% and 15.38% of participants, respectively. TBUT was <10 s in 5.77% of participants. CVS symptoms were prevalent, with 37.18% scoring between 39 and 48 and 12.89% scoring between 29 and 38. Conclusion: This study indicates a potential correlation between increased screen time and reduced tear production (Schirmer I and II). In addition, a positive correlation was observed between screen time and CVS symptoms. However, in young adults, no significant association was found between screen time and refractive error.