Remote learning and increased screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic as risk factors for Digital Eye Strain: a review

Abstract

Digital Eye Strain (DES), also referred to as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), is a functional, symptom-based condition associated with prolonged digital display use and characterised by visual fatigue, ocular discomfort or dryness, blurred or fluctuating vision, and headache. During the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown measures and school closures accelerated the shift towards remote learning, substantially increasing daily screen exposure among children, adolescents, and university students. This narrative review evaluates evidence on the relationship between remote learning, increased screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the risk of Digital Eye Strain. Across pandemic-era studies, prolonged screen-based education was generally associated with a higher prevalence of DES-related symptoms in student populations. However, the available evidence is predominantly observational and relies largely on self-reported screen exposure and subjective symptom measures, with substantial heterogeneity in outcome definitions and assessment tools.

Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have amplified pre-existing screen-related risk factors for Digital Eye Strain rather than introduced a novel ocular condition, while expanding the size of the exposed population. Although causal inference is limited, the consistency of findings across age groups supports the clinical relevance of Digital Eye Strain in remote learning contexts. Future research should prioritise longitudinal designs, clearer differentiation between educational and recreational screen use, and the integration of objective measures of visual behaviour and ocular surface function.