Awareness and practice regarding use of digital devices and ocular health among Saudi adolescents

PURPOSE: To review the knowledge of ocular health and practices of digital device usage among adolescent Saudi Arabia population. METHODS: This cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted in 2021 at a university in central Saudi Arabia. We asked questions regarding demographics, knowledge related to computer vision syndrome (CVS), and the use of digital devices for participants' daily activities. The acceptable grades of knowledge ('excellent' and 'good') and practice scores were associated with the determinants using the nonparametric method of analysis. RESULTS: Of 521 participating students, knowledge about CVS and its relation to digital device usage were excellent in 41 students (7.9%), good in 161 (39%), poor in 300 (57.6%), and very poor in 19 (3.6%). Twenty-eight (5.4%) students scored an 'excellent' grade on practices for digital device usage, 216 (41.4%) scored 'good,' and 277 (53.2%) scored 'poor.' The knowledge score median was 1.0 (interquartile range 1.0; 2.0), and the practice score median was 6.0 (4.0; 9.0). Health studies students had better knowledge than other students (P = 0.004). Smartphone users had worse knowledge than users of other devices (P = 0.017). Females (P < 0.001) and health studies students (P = 0.004) were significantly associated with acceptable practices of using digital devices. CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of ocular health because of abuse of digital devices was poor among participating students. The practice of digital device use was not healthy and needed improvement through preventive measures and counseling.