A follow-up study on visual display terminal use and dry eye disease in the Beijing Adult Dry Eye Cohort Study (ADEC).

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between visual display terminal (VDT) usage frequency and the prevalence of dry eye disease (DED), ocular surface signs, and their trends over a 1-year follow-up among adults in Beijing.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study recruited 1040 adults (393 males, 647 females); with a mean age of 54.72 ± 17.99 years. Participants were categorised into three groups based on their VDT usage frequency: T1, T2, and T3. Data on the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and clinical signs of DED were collected at baseline and after the 1-year follow-up. Examinations included measurements of tear meniscus height (TMH), non-invasive tear film break-up time (NIBUT), corneal fluorescein staining (CFS), and meibomian gland (MG) assessment.

RESULTS

The prevalence of DED decreased from 34.1% to 32.2% after follow-up. T1 and T2 groups had a significantly higher prevalence of DED than T3 group at both time points (P < 0.001). A decreasing trend in DED prevalence was observed with reduced VDT usage. The incidence of new DED cases was 9.27%. A significant transition between DED and non-DED status occurred during the follow-up (P < 0.001). NIBUT and CFS showed slight increases, while MG assessment slightly decreased (P < 0.05). OSDI and TMH Changes were not significant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

VDT usage is associated with a higher prevalence of DED. Reducing VDT usage may help lower the risk of DED.