VDT use and dry eye disease in children
Reviewed by Fiona Rowe

There has been an increase in the amount of work performed using video display terminals. This study compared school children with and without dry eye disease and evaluated the risk factors of dry eye disease and evaluated the risk factors of dry eye disease associated with video display terminal (VDT) use. Three-hundred-and-two children were included: 14 with nocturnal lagophthalmos, trichiasis or epiblepharon were excluded. Twenty-eight children had dry eye disease – mean age of 11 years ±0.61. Two-hundred-and-sixty children served as controls – mean age of 10.87 years ±0.66. Fifty-one percent used smartphones and all used computers and TVs. The results showed that use of phones, duration of phone use and duration of VDT use increased risk of symptoms. Complaints included visual fatigue, dryness, headaches and burning sensations. The dry eye group had punctuate epithelial erosions. Phone use in the dry eye group was 71% versus 50% in the control group. 

Association between video display terminal use and dry eye disease in school children.
Moon JH, Lee MY, Moon NJ.
JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGY AND STRABISMUS
2014;51:87-92.