Smartphone use patterns and the impact on accommodation and convergence system of the eyes among Malaysian teenagers

AIM:To determine the smartphone use patterns and effects of smartphone use on accommodation and convergence system of the eyes among Malaysian teenagers.METHODS:A total of 62 participants aged between 13 and 17y were involved.A self-administered questionnaires containing 12 items was used to evaluate the smartphone usage patterns.This was followed by an eye examination,involving a battery of accommodation and convergence assessments before and after the smartphone use.The data analysis comprised descriptive statistics,paired t-test,and correlation coefficients.RESULTS:The use of smartphones is at a high level and at an optimal distance daily,with more than 6h a day watching video films,games,and completing school projects.Majority of the participants not reported eye strain factors and eye prescription changes with the use of digital devices.The use of a smartphone continuously for 30min was found to significantly decrease amplitude of accommodation,accommodative facility,and positive relative accommodation(P<0.001).Meanwhile,the lag of accommodation parameters and negative relative accommodation increased with the use of smartphones significantly(P<0.001).The near point of convergence(NPC)and distance and near negative fusional vergence decreased significantly(P<0.001).The NPC parameter was found to have a weak negative association with the frequency of smartphone use(R=-0.276,P<0.05).CONCLUSION:Frequent and continuous use of smartphones have increased visual stress and resulted in weakness of accommodation and vergence functions.Therefore,frequent break is mandatory when using a smartphone and appropriate visual hygiene,the 20-20-20 rule(every 20min,view something 20 feet away for 20s)are required during smartphone use to maintain visual function.

Investigation of children’s habits of smartphone usage and parental awareness of myopia control in underdeveloped areas of China

AIM: To investigate the behaviors of smartphone usage and parental knowledge of vision health among primary students in the rural areas of China. METHODS: In this school-based, cross-sectional study, a total of 52 606 parents of students from 30 primary schools in the Xingguo County were investigated through an online questionnaire from July 2020 to August 2020. The self-designed questionnaire contained three parts: the demographic factors of both children and parents, parental knowledge and attitude toward myopia, and the preventive treatment of myopia.RESULTS: A total of 52 485 appropriately answered questionnaires were received, showing an effective response rate of 95.1%. The average age of the primary students was 10.1±0.98 y and the prevalence of myopia among the primary students was 40.3%. The age of myopia occurrence in elementary students was significantly correlated with the parents’ educational level(95%CI: 0.82-0.98, P=0.013), children’s gender(95%CI: 1.08-1.20, P<0.001), school location(county or countryside)(95%CI: 0.59-0.66, P<0.001), children’s smartphone ownership(95%CI: 1.09-1.26, P<0.001), and the average time spent on smartphone per day(95%CI: 0.78-0.88, P<0.001). School location in the county town, high family income, and high parents’educational level significantly affected both parents’ myopia awareness and children’s vision-threatening behaviors(P<0.01). Left-behind children showed a higher incidence of vision-threatening habits than those who lived with their parents(P<0.01).CONCLUSION: The results reveal the current situation of myopia development among rural primary school students and their parents. This survey will serve as a guidance for designing myopic prevention policies in the rural areas of China.

Neuroimaging the effects of smartphone(over-)use on brain function and structure-a review on the current state of MRI-based findings and a roadmap for future research

The smartphone represents a transformative device that dramatically changed our daily lives,including how we communicate,work,entertain ourselves,and navigate through unknown territory.Given its ubiquitous availability and impact on nearly every aspect of our lives,debates on the potential impact of smartphone(over-)use on the brain and whether smartphone use can be“addictive”have increased over the last years.Several studies have used magnetic resonance imaging to characterize associations between individual differences in excessive smartphone use and variations in brain structure or function.Therefore,it is an opportune time to summarize and critically reflect on the available studies.Following this overview,we present a roadmap for future research to improve our understanding of how excessive smartphone use can affect the brain,mental health,and cognitive and affective functions.

Consumption Value of Digital Devices: An Investigation through Facebook Advertisement

Data collection represents the most effort-intensive stage of any marketing research exercise, especially in cases sampling frame is unavailable. Sub-optimal bypasses in form of student surveys or surveys employing convenience sampling have become common. In modern era, where laptops and smartphones enable easy accessibility of respondents online, this study utilizes Facebook advertisement as a source of data collection to measure the construct of user experience for interactive products. Modern digital devices, like smartphones, are a source of a variety of experiences for the user. Design teams at various smartphone manufacturers are struggling every day to create products which provide complete consumer experiences. This work not only proposes a framework for describing the same with usability, social value and pleasure in use, but also tests the scales for each by empirical validation. Data collection process through Facebook, as a sample frame, is something yet to be seen in marketing literature. This work goes the distance in not only demonstrating the efficacy of using Facebook advertisement as a viable data collection tool but also developing a framework to measure consumption value. Outcomes of the study, should promote further research using this sampling frame for future research, especially in the area of marketing.