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Purpose The purpose of this study is to observe pattern of digital device use and the various ocular, visual and systemic symptoms associated with them during the lockdown period of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods Two hundred and thirty-three volunteers were included in web-based open e-survey. The survey was designed on the 'Survey Monkey' website and distributed through social media platform. The information was collected regarding hours and numbers of digital devices along with numbers of digital activities carried out during the pandemic. A pretested symptom questionnaire was also included regarding ocular, visual and systemic symptoms before and during lockdown. The statistical analysis was carried out using Statistical Package of Social Science software. Results During the pandemic, most of the respondents were engaged in more than two digital activities (73.81%) over more than two digital devices (48.50%) for more than six days (65.66%). Maximum respondents were mobile users (97.85%) spending major time on social media (89.70%). Symptoms including watering eyes (P = 0.000), dry eyes (P = 0.000), shoulder pain (P = 0.020), back pain (P = 0.003) and headache (P = 0.043) showed positive correlation with hours of digital device use per day during lockdown, while itching eyes (P = 0.036) and pain behind eyes (P = 0.025) were the major symptoms in those engaged in a greater number of digital activities. Moreover, red eyes (P = 0.040) were more prominent in respondents using multiple devices for a greater number of hours. Conclusion A big jump in digital activities on multiple digital devices was seen during lockdown which are more prone to ocular symptoms. Acceleration of ocular and systemic symptoms was particular with rise in time spending on digital devices.

Computer Vision Syndrome is the complex of eye and visio n problems caused by computer use. I n present scenario children are equally being affected with computer vision syndrome because of excessive exposure to video display terminals. Therefore considering these prospects a clinical trial was carried with 1 0 clinically diagnosed children of compu ter Vision Syndrome. An Ayurvedic procedure (akshitarpana) was carried out on up to 20 min for 7 days. It was observed that a kshitarpana procedure was highly effe ctive in the complaints of computer vision syndrome exclusively related to eyes viz. red eyes, burning eyes, dry eyes, teary eyes, itching eyes, eyestrain and also in headache.

Ocular discomfort (e.g. burning, dry and itching eyes) is among top 2 symptoms in office environments. The ophthalmological explanation is aqueous-deficient dry eye and evaporative dry eye and exposure to allergens, while indoor air pollutants causing chemesthesis generally is the rationale of the indoor environmental community. Review of salient environmental, occupational, and personal risk factors, that alter the precorneal tear film (PTF), reveals at least three mechanisms resulting in ocular discomfort. First, the PTF structure is altered by a physical process that increases the emission rate of aqua loss resulting in hyperosmolarity, gland dysfunctions, and associated discomfort. Second, the structural composition of the outermost lipid layer of the PTF is altered by aggressive aerosols and combustion products, both indoors and outdoors, that facilitate loss of aqua, and possibly chemesthesis. Third, strong sensory irritating pollutants cause chemesthesis by trigeminal stimulation. In general, organic and inorganic indoor air pollutant concentrations are too low causing chemesthesis, but the odor may cause reported discomfort. The total risk of ocular discomfort is exacerbated by physical alteration of the PTF by visual tasking and climate conditions (low humidity, high temperature, and draft); further, personal factors like age, gender and use of certain medication also influence the overall stability of the PTF.

Fuel wood smoke is known to be associated with a number of ocular diseases such as cataract, pterygium and dry eye syndrome amongst others. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on 290 kitchen staff in senior secondary schools in the Kumasi metropolis to identify the type of fuel and cooking stoves used and the ocular pathologies affecting them. Ocular examinations were performed on the kitchen staff. The study included administration of questionnaire, clinical and ocular history taking, visual acuity measurements, external eye examination, ophthalmoscopy, and Schirmer’s tear function test. The study revealed that 22.1% of the respondents had worked in the kitchens for a period of over twenty years. The major ocular complaints found amongst the 290 respondents were itching eyes (50.3%) and excessive tearing (40.3%). Majority (75.2%) of the kitchen staff were suffering from one or more eye diseases. The commonest ocular diseases were dry eyes (46.6%) pterygium (31.1%) and corneal ulcer (8.3%). All (100%) of the schools used firewood as their primary source of fuel. Most (76.9%) of the schools however used Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to cook certain kinds of meals. Ventilation was poor in 53.9% of the schools visited. Very smoky kitchens were seen in 84.6% of the schools. In conclusion, it was observed that the Kitchen staff of Senior High Schools in the Kumasi Metropolis are at high risk of developing eye diseases that may be attributed to the working environment.