Examining the Correlation Between Accommodative Function and Time Duration of Smartphone Usage

• Main Authors: CHEN, YUEH-FU, 陳岳甫
• Other Authors: WU, JOSEPHINE W
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2018
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/k39dh7

碩士 === 中臺科技大學 === 生物科技暨醫學工程研究所 === 106 === Introduction In recent years, the smartphone has become increasingly popular over traditional desktop PC or laptop due to its convenience of use and portability. However, as with traditional video display screens, which can cause a variety of visual symptoms when used in prolonged period of time, the greater frequency of mobile device usage in today’s digital savvy world also prompted an array of visual symptoms and much more. Digital eye strain related to electronic displays affect visual functions that include accommodation and vergence. However, investigation into the accommodative effect of smartphone use with time has not been thoroughly studied before. In this work, we set out to perform a better controlled experiment to examine the correlation between duration of smartphone use and accommodative functions. Method A total of 31 normal subjects were enrolled in this prospective study to test for accommodative amplitude, response, and facility using a specially designed chin apparatus to minimize inaccuracies in the measurements. Accommodative functions were tested with minus lens to blur, monocular estimation method (MEM), and monocular flipper test after 10, 20, and 30 minutes of smartphone use on separate occasions. Subjective data were collected in form of visual discomfort survey before and after each testing period. Results and Discussion The monocular accommodative amplitude was significantly decreased while visual discomfort increased after smartphone use for 10, 20 and 30 minutes. The accommodative lag after smartphone work was also significantly greater after 20 and 30 minutes of smartphone use. Accommodative facility did not changed significantly after smartphone use for each time period tested. Visual discomfort was not found to be correlated to a decrease in accommodative functions, but may be related to dry eye or binocular vision function. Conclusion After 10 minutes of smartphone use, accommodative function and visual comfort were affected, which means that the 20/20/20 rule may not be a suitable health tip to alleviate the health burden caused by smartphone usage. Therefore, a new health recommendation should be tailored to the smartphone, which exerts more stress and requires greater demands on the visual system than the traditional digital monitors or displays.