Published Paper Details:

Aim: To assess the impact of taking proper breaks while working on digital devices in reducing the digital eye strain. Methodology: This was a questionnaire-based prospective study determining the role of taking proper breaks and the role of daily reminders in enhancing patient compliance and in-turn reducing digital eye strains. The study examines compliance variations with the 20-20 rule in two distinct groups, Group-I (Subjects who got daily reminders) and Group-II (Subjects who did not get any reminders). The occurrence of symptoms related to digital eye strains were also compared between the subjects in the two groups and from baseline. Result: The analysis reveals that Group-II exhibits a notably higher forgetfulness rate (60%) compared to Group-I (28%), implying a greater tendency to overlook the 20-20 rule. This discrepancy underscores the potential influence of awareness on adherence, as Group-I's lower forgetfulness rate suggests heightened attentiveness to the rule. Conclusion: A significant proportion of respondents were not aware of the 20-20 rule and do not actively implement it. Making the patients aware about proper visual break practices can significantly reduce digital eye strain prevalence. From the data, it seems that both Group-1 and Group-2 generally have lower symptom prevalence compared to the Baseline group. However, Group-2 tends to have higher symptom prevalence compared to Group-1 indicating that reminders may play an important role in reduction in symptoms of digital eye strain. The data suggests a discrepancy in compliance with the 20-20 rule between the two groups, highlighting the importance of reminders in getting better compliance. Practically, these results could inform targeted interventions, focusing on raising awareness among Group-II individuals to mitigate forgetfulness.