Prevalence of Accommodative Insufficiency Among Young Individuals and Its Association With Screen Time

Background: Prolonged digital-device use may influence accommodative function in young individuals. This study estimated the prevalence of accommodative insufficiency (AI) and examined its association with daily screen time. Materials and Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study included 103 students aged 17–21 years. Screen time, refractive status, accommodative amplitude, near point of accommodation, facility, and lag were assessed. AI prevalence and its association with screen exposure were analyzed. Results: AI was identified in 7 participants (6.8%; 95% CI: 3.3%–13.4%). Participants with AI had lower accommodative amplitude and facility, a more remote near point, and greater accommodative lag (all p<0.001). Median daily screen time was higher in participants with AI than in those without AI [9.4 vs 7.2 hours/day; p=0.020]. AI prevalence was 10.7% with >7 hours/day screen exposure and 2.1% with ≤7 hours/day, although this association was not statistically significant (OR=5.52; p=0.122). Screen time correlated inversely with accommodative amplitude and facility and positively with near point distance. Conclusion: Higher habitual screen exposure was associated with poorer accommodative performance, but prospective studies are required to confirm causality.