Dry eye symptoms and frequency of screen use reported by students of the Medical School of the Universidad Abierta Interamericana - Sede Rosario Argentina, during the COVID-19 pandemic period (2020-2021)

Introduction: Dry eye is a multifactorial disease that is related to the use of electronic devices. During the COVID- 19 pandemic confinement, distance learning was adopted, which may have increased the frequency of use of these devices in college students, which could increase the risk of having dry eye symptoms. Objective: To describe the symptoms of dry eye and the frequency of screen use reported by 5th year students of the Medical School of the Universidad Abierta Interamericana (UAI)- Sede Rosario, during the COVID-19 pandemic period (2020-2021). Materials and methods: Quantitative, observational, retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive design. Carried out in the UAI during the months of January to June 2023. The population consisted of all the students in the 5th year in the 1st four-month period of the Medicine Career, in the year 2023. The sampling was non-probabilistic by convenience. A virtual survey consisting of 9 closed and multiple-choice questions was applied. The variables were analyzed by means of absolute and relative percentage frequencies. Results: A total of 80 students were surveyed, of whom 72% were female and 28% male, with a mean age of 26.12 ± 7.91 years (min: 20; max: 40). Ninety-five percent were regular users of electronic devices prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ninety-nine percent reported an increase in hours of electronic device use by an average of 5.57 ± 2.03 hours per day. During the COVID-19 pandemic, students reported symptoms such as dry eye sensation, burning, itching, irritation, tearing, and increased blinking. Forty percent had some impairment in reading on digital screens and 28% had discomfort when watching TV or using electronic devices with screens. Conclusions: The student population surveyed reported increased use of electronic devices with screens during the COVID-19 pandemic, reporting dry eye sensation, burning, itching, irritation, tearing, and increased blinking. Women under 30 years of age reported the highest frequency of dry eye symptoms