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Influence of smartphone screen reading on visual optical quality metrics and tear film stability

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First Author: E.Bettach ISRAEL

Co Author(s):    A. Shoshani   D. Smadja   D. Zadok   A. Abulafia           

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate the influence of smartphone screen reading on optical quality metrics and tear film stability.

Setting:

Shaare Zedek Medical Center Jerusalem iSEARCH - Innovation Shaare Zedek Eye Advanced Research Center Hub

Methods:

Prospective study was conducted in 50 healthy volunteers that were asked to read an article on a smartphone screen for 20 minutes and the following parameters were evaluated before and after the reading task: Optical quality metrics such as ocular scatter index (OSI), strehl ratio (SR), modulation transfer function (MTF) and visual break up time (VBUT) were measured using a double-pass aberrometer system, non-invasive break-up time (NIBUT) using the Placido rings from corneal topography and fluorescein break up time (FBUT) measured at the slit lamp. Pre and post-task comparisons were made using paired sample T-test.

Results:

After the reading, FBUT and NIBUT were both significantly reduced (p< 0.001). OSI increased and Visual BUT was reduced significantly as compared to pre-reading state (p<0.01). The other optical quality metrics, MTF, SR and best focus position did not show any significant difference after the reading.

Conclusions:

Reading session, as short as 20 minutes, on smartphone screen in healthy subjects was found to be enough to affect the tear film stability and optical quality metrics.

Financial Disclosure:

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