Survey finds students, retired professionals & homemakers among those suffering from dry eye symptoms
They were mainly students, retired professionals and homemakers, who remain glued to screens for about 3-4 hours daily.
The survey was conducted by Pune-based National Institute of Optahlmology (NIO) between Nov 2024 and April 2025.
The survey found that most dry eye cases were linked to screen exposure, commonly known as computer vision syndrome (CVS).
A significant number of patients presenting with dry eye symptoms were regularly exposed to prolonged screen time averaging from 6.3 hours to 8.3 hours per day.
46% of patients that reported the symptoms were IT professionals aged 25-56, followed by students (19%) and office employees (11%) aged 26 to 45 yrs. The survey also revealed that 10% of patients were homemakers aged 35 to 70 years and 8% were retired individuals aged 68 to 75 years.
Patients of this age group clocked in a screen time averaging up to 4.6 hours per day.
Dr. Aditya Kelkar, director, NIO Super Specialty Hospital that conducted the survey, said, "These numbers reflect the undeniable strain digital devices place on our eyes.
Dry eye is no longer just a condition seen in older adults alone. We are increasingly seeing younger individuals, especially those working in technology sectors, suffering from this problem. More than 40-50 patients visit the hospital daily for dry eye symptoms related to CVS.
"
Prolonged exposure to digital screens also lead to other complicated problems, ophthalmologists said. Dr. Naina Chaturvedi, consultant, department of ophthalmology, Dr.
D.Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Pimpri said, "In today's digital age, prolonged exposure to screens has become an unavoidable part of daily life. Whether it's professionals spending hours on computers or homemakers engaging with smartphones for entertainment or communication, the result is a growing prevalence of CVS.
It is characterized by symptoms such as eye strain, eyeache, and tired eyes.
Individuals also complain of burning, dryness, redness, gritty sensation, watering and irritation. These issues stem from poor lighting, screen glare, and improper viewing distances. Other symptoms include shoulder pain, neck stiffness, headache, backache, sleep disturbances and neuro-psychiatric issues like daytime sleepiness, fatigue and irritability. The symptoms reported in children with prolonged history of screen exposure include reduced attention span, poor academic performance and behavioural problems."
Dr Kelkar added that the survey highlighted the urgent need for lifestyle changes and increased public awareness regarding the risk of unregulated screen exposure. He said, "Among all dry eye patients surveyed, 89% required lubricating eye drops, while all were recommended 20-20-20 rule i.e. taking a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away after every 20 minutes. We have launched an awareness campaign called #BlinkOkPlease.
As part of this campaign, the hospital is conducting several activities such as awareness seminars, screen-free zones and awareness walkathons to help patients reduce screen exposure in their daily activities.
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Indian Express
4 hours ago
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In the US, two ongoing lawsuits have been filed by parents whose teenage children interacted with 'therapist' chatbots on the platform — one case involving a teenager who attacked his parents, and another where the interaction was followed by the child's suicide. 'AI can act as a stopgap, filling accessibility and supply gaps, provided it's properly overseen, just like any other therapeutic intervention would be. Mental health professionals and AI developers need to work together to evolve AI tools that are safe and helpful for those who need them most,' says Murgia. (* name changed for privacy)
Time of India
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Ahmedabad mom Raashi Mittal has been trying to find a middle ground. She allows her 16-year-old daughter to travel to coaching classes by herself in an auto, but not for Navratri garba nights which often last till 3 or 4am. 'She fights with us over this, but our stand is clear. If she wants, she can call her friends for garba where we are going, so we can keep an eye.' Tech to the rescue Some parents are turning to technology to ensure their children's safety when they're alone. Dr Kruti Kachalia recently installed a new tracking app on her daughter's phone that offers live location sharing, an SOS button, and even a feature that lets her listen to the ambient sounds around Siya — just in case. 'Thanks to the app, one day, I heard her having an unpleasant exchange with an auto driver who was fighting for change and not dropping her to the location she asked for. We later talked to her about how she could have dealt with this situation better,' she says. Kachalia is thankful for these tools. 'These can be greatly helpful in allowing teens to become independent. We can't keep them in a bubble.' Mehta has started putting an air tag on her son's T-shirt so she knows where he is. He can now go to the local club for table tennis with friends. The driver drops them till the lobby and then they manage themselves. 'I am taking small steps toward giving him total freedom.' Use controlled exposure Sushant Kalra, founder of the Parwarish Institute of Parenting, says there should be no debate regarding giving freedom to kids. 'Should we send our kids out on their own? The answer is a big yes. Is the situation difficult compared to our times? The answer is yes, again. But that does not change the need to teach children to live on their own. There is no guarantee that we will be alive tomorrow, and the world is not getting any safer, so we have to train our kids to be independent today. ' He believes the only way to prepare is to start early ('Not at 25 which is the age when most parents think their kids are ready to be alone') and to train them well via controlled exposure (to real-life situations). For instance, Kalra allowed his daughter to go to the market which is 300 metres from their Delhi home alone when she was just seven years old. He followed her, hiding behind cars, to ensure her safety without restricting her. His son and daughter, now 25 and 19, also went to their classes by auto on their own from the age of 10. 'I would give them a phone and tell them to call me or their mom the moment they sat in the auto and tell us the auto number in a loud voice, so the driver is aware that the parents have the license number," he says. 'I ensured their safety while also giving them independence. This gave my kids immense confidence.' Kalra also started teaching his kids road safety from the time they were three-four years old. 'I used to tell them that 'I have not held your hand, you have held my hand. I will cross only when you tell me to go.' It made them feel they were in charge and this made them alert.' * Names changed on request
India Today
12 hours ago
- India Today
Packaged food alert: Why India needs warning labels, not health star ratings
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