Prevalence of Computer Vision Syndrome in School Going Children During COVID Era

Background: Prolonged use of electronic devices poses a significant risk of Computer vision syndrome (CVS). Computer Vision syndrome is emerging as the next unexpected epidemic of the COVID era. Almost all children attending regular online schools are suffering from mild to severe Computer vision syndrome. Besides health problems, CVS also results in concentrate difficulties in studies and decrease a child’s performance. Awareness regarding CVS is increasing among folks of all ages since it has hit not just school going children but their parents as well who are pursuing work from home.

Materials and Methods: From March 2020 to March 2021, a multidisciplinary study was conducted to look at the increase in CVS and related factors among school-age children in School of Scholars, Nagpur taking online classes. The randomized controlled trial was used to select 600-school aged children between the ages of 8 and 17, and data was collected using a systematic questionnaire completed by the children's parents.

Results: CVS was found in 345 (57.5%) of the 600 children studied, which is very concerning. With proportions of 83.50 percent, 66.33 percent, and 62.17 percent, respectively, the most common reported signs of CVS were eyestrain, eye inflammation, and eye pain. CVS are linked to daily screen use and pre-existing eye disorder.

Conclusion: To deter CVS, it is critical to reduce screen time, improve parent and child understanding of safety precautions, and receive management support. To protect a child's overall well-being, we encourage policymakers and parents to restrict e-learning, since it will never be a suitable replacement for conventional classroom instruction.