Association of Screen Time, Quality of Sleep and Dry Eye in College Students of Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Background:
With the rising use of digital devices among young adults, concerns regarding prolonged screen time and its impact on ocular and systemic health—particularly dry eye disease (DED) and sleep disturbances—are increasingly recognized. College students, due to academic demands and social media use, are at particular risk.
Objective:
To evaluate the association between screen time, sleep quality, and the prevalence of dry eye symptoms among college students in Tamil Nadu.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 college students aged 18–25 years from various institutions in Tamil Nadu. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, which included the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) to assess dry eye symptoms and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep quality. Screen time was self-reported in hours per day. Associations were analyzed using chi-square test and Pearson correlation.
Results:
Among the participants, 63.5% reported screen time >6 hours/day. Poor sleep quality (PSQI >5) was observed in 57% of students. Dry eye symptoms (OSDI ≥13) were present in 48.7%of the cohort. A significant positive correlation was found between increased screen time and both OSDI scores (r = 0.42, p < 0.001) and PSQI scores (r = 0.36, p < 0.001). Additionally, students with poor sleep quality had a higher prevalence of dry eye symptoms (p = 0.003).
Conclusion:
Prolonged screen exposure among college students is significantly associated with dry eye symptoms and poor sleep quality. Educational awareness, screen-time regulation, and early interventions may help mitigate these health issues.