Relação entre saúde ocular e uso de telas em escolares dos anos iniciais do ensino fundamental

Abstract

Objective: To assess the ocular health of elementary school students in the early years and its relationship with screen time. Methods: This is a cross-sectional quantitative study with an analytical approach, conducted between October and December 2023, involving first and second-year elementary school students from public schools in Soledade, RS. All 14 schools in the municipality were invited to participate in the study. Data collection was carried out through physical questionnaires sent by the schools to the parents/guardians of the children. The study included students whose parents/guardians returned the completed questionnaire and signed the informed consent form. The questionnaires collected information on the child's sociodemographic characteristics (race, age, sex) and the parent's/legal guardian's sociodemographic characteristics (race, age, sex, education, employment, family income), the child's epidemiological characteristics (use of visual correction, comorbidities, disabilities), and the child's behavioral characteristics (screen use, most used electronic device, daily usage time, ocular signs and symptoms after device use, sleep quality, school performance). The prevalence of the outcome (ocular symptoms and signs) in relation to screen exposure (more than 2 hours or less than 2 hours) and independent variables (sociodemographic, epidemiological, and behavioral characteristics) was calculated using the chi-square test, with a significance level of 5%, using PSPP software (free version). Results: Data from 432 students were analyzed. 57.4% (n=248) presented at least one ocular symptom/sign after screen exposure: headache (p<0.001), itching (p=0.001), and asthenopia (p<0.001). Conclusion: Longer screen time is associated with the presence of ocular symptoms and signs (headache, itching, and asthenopia) after prolonged exposure (more than 2 hours) to screens, impairing ocular health. Moreover, the detriments of excessive screen use are not limited to the present but can have long-term adverse effects on the individual's health beyond ocular health.