Healthy kids experience acute eye symptoms after online classes: Study

The results of this study stated as follow:

1. The average CISS score increased from 5.17 before school to 9.82 after, with 61% of children seeing an increase in convergence insufficiency symptoms after school and 17% suffering severe convergence insufficiency symptoms.

2. Asthenopia symptom ratings increased from 1.58 to 2.74, with 53% of youngsters experiencing an increase in symptoms.

3. Twelve of the fifteen CISS questions showed significant increases, as did four of the five asthenopia items.

In conclusion, with the findings of this study indicating the severe impact of virtual learning on the children, modifications, and tactics, such as frequent breaks and relaxing the accommodative reflex by focusing on distant sights, might be recommended by eye care practitioners to alleviate the ocular symptoms caused by prolonged screen usage.

Reference: 

Jordan L. Hamburger, Judith B. Lavrich, Alexander M. Rusakevich, Jillian A. Leibowitz, Michael D. Zhitnitsky, Qiang Zhang, Ajay C. Makkena, Catherine K. Liu, Glenn J. Oh, James E. Sharpe, Kammi B. Gunton, The visual consequences of virtual school: acute eye symptoms in healthy children, Journal of American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, 2022, ISSN 1091-8531, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaapos.2021.10.003.