Association between average screen time and dry eye disease: a secondary analysis of publicly available cross-sectional data

The study examined the association between screen time and dry eye disease prevalence in 20,000 adults aged 18-45 years. Among participants, 13,037 (65.2%) had dry eye disease and 6,963 (34.8%) did not. Results showed that each additional hour of screen time was associated with 2% higher odds of dry eye disease. The analysis revealed a non-linear relationship, with the lowest risk at 3-4 hours per day and a sharp increase in risk beyond 9 hours per day. The association between screen time and dry eye disease was consistent and dose-dependent. Prolonged screen viewing leads to reduced blink rate, accelerated tear-film evaporation, and shortened tear-film break-up time.