FINAL YEAR THESIS

COMPUTER VISION SYNDROME (CVS)

AMONG UNDERGRADUATE
PHYSIOTHERAPY STUDENTS

Presented by:
Kiran Khan
Saima Awan
Fatima Noor
Supervised by:
Dr. Kiran Afzal
Outline
 Introduction
 Significance of Study
 Literature
 Objectives of Study
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 Conclusion
 Limitations
5 January 2021
 References
 Introduction
What is CVS?
According to American Optometric Association CVS is the complex
of eye and vision problems related to near work experienced during
computer use(1).
Why
. are we concerned about CVS?

• Aboutsixty million individuals observe the effects of CVS

everywhere throughout the world(4).
 Intro….

Side effects of CVS incorporate eye strain, migraine, unclear vision, and
pain in shoulder or neck, which are normally aggravated by the utilization
of visual display terminals (VDTs)(1).

Computer screen, also called Video Display Terminals (VDTs), includes

computers, tablets, smartphones, laptops, personal digital assistants and
other electronic gadgets. Millions of people use electronic devices for
several hours every day by staring into VDTs(3).
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EPIDEMIOLOGY

Computer-Vision-Syndrome is a general condition in the

persons who continually use computers, laptops, cell phones
and other electronic devices that stress on the eyes. It has been
calculated that almost sixty million people who have vision
complications due to computer use in all over the world.

90% of the individuals who use computer 3-4 hours each day
can develop CVS with the manifestations of headache, double
vision, irritation, dry and tired eyes, burning sensation, redness,
eye soreness, tiredness, cervical pain, and dizziness(4).
5 January 2021
EPIDEMIoLoGY…

Just about sixty million individuals observe

the effects of CVS everywhere throughout
the world and a large number of new cases
happen each year(2).

In United State of America over 143 million

Americans tackle PCs . 90% people suffering
from eye strain due to usage of computer.
90% of youngsters in the USA manage a PCs
at home or in school each day(5,6).

5 January 2021
LITERATURE

Dessie et.al, 2018 Conducted study on office 70% of computer users

workers in government had positive CVS (8).
institution in Ethiopia

Reddy-SC et al Computer vision syndrome: a 90% students was suffer

in 2013 study of knowledge and the symptoms of CVS
practices in (9).

university students Malaysia

5 January 2021
LITERATURE
Logaraj M et.al, 2014 Computer vision In engineering students,
syndrome and the majority of CVS
associated factors was found to be 81.9% .
among medical and among medical students
engineering students in 78.6% (10).
Chennai.
Afshan Hassan et al in The prevalence of CVS CVS symptoms was
2017 at Khyber Medical observed (90.5%) (7).
University among
medical students.
5 January 2021
 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

CVS is a combination of ocular and musculoskeletal symptoms. It

occurs due to increase usage of electronic devices in young adults
for education, at homes, leads the users towards a greater health
risk of CVS, as it is a severe and a current rising issue, which has a
direct impact on the society. Very few researches are held on this
issue especially in medical students. In our study, we estimated the
prevalence of Computer Vision Syndrome among undergraduate
students of physiotherapy.

5 January 2021
OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

In our study we estimated the prevalence

of CVS among undergraduate students
of physiotherapy

5 January 2021
 methodology

Sampling
Study design
cross technique
Convenient
sectional sampling
study technique

Sample size
377 Duration of
UNDERGRADUATE
STUDENTS calculated Study
by Raosoft 4 MONTHS 5 January 2021
 STUDY
SETTINGS COMWAVE
INSTITUTE
OF
SCIENCE
AND I.T
ISLAMABAD
UNIVERSITY
FEDERAL
OF LAHORE
COLLEGE
(UOL)
(IFC)

RAWALPINDI RIPHAH
MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL
UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY
(RMU) (RIU) 5 January 2021
DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE

Data was collected through a questionnaire filled by individual

students from different colleges and universities after
informed consent.
• .

Demographic Questionnaire.
Pre- Designed Computer Vision Syndrome Questionnaire
• .

Data was examined on SPSS-21 descriptive format

5 January 2021
SAMPLE SELECTION

The sample was nominated

according to the inclusion
and exclusion criteria.
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Inclusion criteria

 Only undergraduate Physiotherapy students

 Age between 17 to 25 years old.
 Students had complained of the following symptoms:
 Neck pain,
 Back pain,
 Headache and
 Irritation of eyes.
 Focusing problems
 Laptop and other electronic device users.
 Students who had no symptoms during using computers 5 January 2021
are also included in the study.
exclusion criteria

 Age: Below 17 and Above 25 years.

 Students of other profession i.e.,
MBBS and Pharmacy.
 1st-year students of Physiotherapy.
 Congenital eye disorders
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RESULTS

5 January 2021
RESULTS

AGE OF PARTICIPANTS

TOTAL MEAN AGE OF PARTICIPANTS

377 20.89±1.706
ContInuED…
• Second Question was about Gender
• Out of 377 participants 104 was male and 273 was female students,

FEMALE

27.59%
MALE

72.41%
ContInuED…
• Next Question was about which VDT they frequent use.
• Maximum participant check mobile phone option.
The frequent computer digital screen you use?

40.06% 38.73%

9.81% 8.22%
1.59% 1.59%

5 January 2021
ContInuED…
• How many hours they spend on digital screen?

4.78%
less than 1 hr
1-2 hr
14.06%
2-3 hr
28.38%
3-4 hr
4-6 hr
more than 6 hr
14.06%

16.18%

22.55%

5 January 2021
ContInuED…
• How many hours they spend watching screen in dark?

more than 6.63%

6 hr

4-6 hr 7.43%

3-4 hr 11.14%

2-3 hr 18.83%

1-2 hr 22.55%

less than 1 33.42%

hr
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ContInuED…
Are you spending most of your screen time during the day or
night?

The Night, 49.60%

The Day, 44.30%

Both, 6.10%
ContInuED…
 Do you have any of the following symptoms?

Headache

Blurred vision
11.67% 12.20% Neck/shoulder/back pain

Fatigue

Eye strain
5.04%
Eye redness and irritation

15.30% Dry eye

7.69% Double Vision

Difficulty refocusing the

5.57% eye
Multiple symptoms
1.60%
0.30% 1.30% 0.50% 1.33%
ContInuED…
Are you wearing glasses or contact lenses?

61.01%
38.99%

Yes No
Column3 38.99% 61.01%
ContInuED…
 After using my smart phones for prolonged hours, I am complaining of:

joint pain in my fingers and wrist

inability to hold objects well
11.41% 15.65% 3.18% difficulty to write using the pen
shoulder pain
2.39%
none
more than one
19.63%
47.75%
ContInuED…
I am frequently using :

Touch screen
3.18%
1.10% 5.31% Touch pad
3.71% Note pen
mouse and keyboard
more than one

86.74%
ContInuED…
Are you usually studying MEDICINE using?

63.13%

22.81%
14.06%

Screens Books Both 5 January 2021

ContInuED…
Do you feel that the digital screen affects your life style and eye health?

Yes

23.34% No

76.66%

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ContInuED…
Are you willing to decrease your screen hours to guard against CVS?

23.61%
Yes

No

76.39%

5 January 2021
RESULTS

Our study shows that there is

88.3% prevalence of CVS
among the students of
physiotherapy.
DISCUSSION

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DISCUSSION
CURRENT STUDY
• The frequency of CVS symptoms in
our study is 88.3% .
• Headache is 12.2%,
• Blurred vision is 5.0%,
• Neck/shoulder/back pain is 7.7%,
• Eye strain is 0.5%,
• Eye redness and irritation is 0.5%,
and
• Double vision is 0.3%.
PREVIOUS STUDY
• The study of CVS in university
students in Nepal conducted by
Reddy SC et al in 2013. In this study
the prevalence of computer vision
syndrome was 89.9%.
• Headache was 19.7%,
• Blurred vision was 10.2%,
• Neck pain was 9.9%, shoulder pain
was 5.2%, back pain was 6.8%,
• Eye strain was 16.4%,
• Eye redness was 2.4% and
• Double vision was 0.3% (9). 5 January 2021
Cont…
CURRENT STUDY
• Students are using different types of
digital screen, in our study the
students frequently using the touch
screen are 86.7%,
• 3.7% students are using touchpad,
• 1.1% students using the note pen,
• 5.3% are using mouse and keyboard
and
• 3.2% students using more than one
screen.
PREVIOUS STUDY
• M. Iqbal et al. study in 2018 results
were 92% of the students used the
touch screens,
• 27% of the students used the
touchpads,
• 2% of the students used the Note
Pens while
• 36% of the students used the mouse
and keyboard and many students had
more than one choice (12).
5 January 2021
Cont…
CURRENT STUDY
• The students suffered frequently
from various musculoskeletal health
problems.
• In our study 15.6% of students are
complaining of joint pain in fingers
and wrists,
• 2.4% complaining of shoulder pain,
• 11.4% students complain more than
once
PREVIOUS STUDY
• Ekta chavda et al. study in 2013 their
results were 20% of the scholars feel
pain from one of the musculoskeletal
issues each time when they work on
computer.
• neck pain was 15%,
• back pain was 15%,
• shoulder and arms pain was 10%,
• wrist and hand pain was 35% (11).
5 January 2021
Cont.….
CURRENT STUDY
• In our study the students use the
computer screen in an
interrupted way is 74.5%, these
students have low risk of CVS
symptoms.
PREVIOUS STUDY
• Awrajaw Dessie et al. in 2018 studies
those students developing CVS
among computer users who regularly
adjusted the brightness of their
computer screen and who took
regular break decreased by 27% (13).
5 January 2021
CONCLUSION
• The results showed that there was
88.3% of students have the
symptoms of CVS.
• The most observed symptoms are
headache, eye strain, muscular pain
in shoulder, neck and back, eye
redness, eye irritation, and blurred
vision.
• CVS is an exceptionally regular
condition since the greater part of
students facing at least one symptom
of computer vision syndrome.
LIMITATIONS

Our study faced numerous limitations.

The period of the study was limited because the thesis had to be
completed in the time frame given by university so we can’t
collect data from all institutes in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Lack of cooperation of some students.

5 January 2021
RECOMMENDATIONS

It is essential to begin awareness program to aware the people

about CVS and health-related problems.
This study recommends performing bigger examinations
incorporating numerous colleges and universities in Pakistan,
given that coming studies should include both subjective and
objective examination tools.
In future studies we recommended that while collecting data from
students performed a detailed examination of eye and ergonomics.

5 January 2021
 REFERENCES
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 2. Sen, A & Richardson S. A study of computer-related upper limb discomfort and computer vision syndrome. J Hum
Ergol,. 2007;36:45–50.
 3. Gangamma MP RM. A clinical study on" Computer vision syndrome" and its management with Triphala eye drops
and Saptamrita Lauha. AYU (An Int Q J Res Ayurveda). 2010;32(3).
 4. Akinbinu TR MY. Knowledge of computer vision syndrome among computer users in the workplace in Abuja,
Nigeria: University of South Africa. 2015.
 5. VCA 2007. Vision in business,. 2011;
 6. LFV n.d. Children and computer vision syndrome, Lake Forest Vision. 2011; Available from:
http://www.smallstock.info/issues/structured.htm.
 7. Afshan Hassan B.Sc.,(Optometry & Orthoptics) M, Muhammad Kashif BVS, FAAO, FIACLE MZMF, FCPS MAR.
Prevalence of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) amongst the Students of Khyber Medical University, Peshawar.
Ophthalmol Updat. 2017;15(2).
 8. Dessie A, Adane F, Nega A, Wami SD CDH. Computer Vision Syndrome and Associated Factors among Computer
5 January 2021
Users in Debre Tabor Town, Northwest Ethiopia. J Environ Public Health. 2018;.
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 9. Reddy SC1, Low CK2, Lim YP2, Low LL2, Mardina F2 NM. Computer vision syndrome: a study of knowledge and
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2013;10(5):161–8.
 10. Logaraj M, Madhupriya V HSK. Computer vision syndrome and associated factors among medical and engineering
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 12. Mohammed Iqbal1*, Ahmed El-Massry2 ME, Elzembely3 and H. Computer Vision Syndrome Survey among the
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