The prevalence of dry eye syndrome in association with smartphone use in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Dry eye syndrome (DES) is the leading eye disease globally. Studies on the association of DES with smart device use and prevalence are limited in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the prevalence and predictors of DES.

Methodology: This online cross-sectional survey was conducted in Saudi Arabia between January and July 2023. Schaumberg et al.'s questionnaire tool was used in this study. DES was determined according to WHS criteria (persistent or recurrent) by severe symptoms of dryness and irritation or a prior clinical DES diagnosis. Predictors of DES were identified using binary logistic regression analysis.

Results: This study involved 440 participants. The most used device was the mobile phone (93.0%). Approximately one-third (29.8%) of participants reported using their smart devices for an average of 4-6 hours daily. Social media was the most documented cause of smart device utilization (74.3%). The total of study participants with DES is estimated to be 43.4%. The potential to have DES was higher in females, those aged 24-35 and 41-50 years, divorced, unemployed, spectacle wearers, and contact lens users than others (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: DES is a prevalent health issue among the general Saudi population. Additional research is mandated to determine other DES-associated risk factors. Future studies should focus on recognizing approaches that could assist in reducing the incidence of DES, which results from the unavoidable prolonged digital device usage by considerable social groups.

Keywords: Dry eye syndrome; General public; Saudi Arabia; Smartphone

Citation: Abdulmannan DM. The prevalence of dry eye syndrome in association with smartphone use in Saudi Arabia. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2026;30(3):319-326. DOI: 10.35975/apic.v30i3.3169

Received: October 08, 2025; Revised: March 02, 2026; Accepted: March 02, 2026