Journal of Clinical Medicine
Association of Refractive Error Severity, Axial Length and Digital Screen Time with Dry Eye Disease in Young Saudi Adults
By Wafa Alotaibi, Maha Naif, Muhammad Qasim and 9 others.
Abstract
Background
Dry eye disease (DED) and refractive errors are increasingly prevalent among young adults, particularly in populations with prolonged digital device use. However, the relationship between refractive error, axial length (AL), and dry eye parameters remains incompletely understood.
Methods
A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 114 young Saudi adults attending the optometry clinic of King Saud University. Participants underwent comprehensive ocular examination including refractive assessment, AL measurement, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), non-invasive tear breakup time (NI-TBUT) and tear breakup time (TBUT). Refractive error was classified into hyperopia and myopia, with further stratification by severity. Continuous variables are presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD), while categorical variables are summarized as frequencies and percentages. One-way ANOVA was performed among refractive error groups, whereas the Kruskal–Wallis H test was used for dry eye severity. Pearson’s correlation, Spearman’s correlation, Bonferroni-adjusted post-hoc analysis, and linear regression analysis were performed, keeping the p-value < 0.05. The study got IRB approval and adhered to the tenets of the declaration of Helsinki.
