ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial condition caused by ocular discomfort, visual disturbance, and tear film instability with potential damage to the ocular surface and Visual Display Terminal (VDT) use have exposed workers to risk factor for DED symptoms. This study aims to examine the association of prolonged VDT working hours on DED symptoms of creative industry worker in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Methods:

The study design is cross-sectional with 418 participants (146 men and 272 women; mean age 23.3 years (14 to 45 years). Data collected using a self-administered questionnaire to obtain the hours of daily VDT work and Ocular Surface Index (OSDI) questionnaire to evaluate the prevalence of DED symptoms. The OSDI questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring DED severity (normal, mild to moderate, and severe).

Results:

Of the 418, the DED group included 413 (severe, 247; moderate, 108; mild, 58) participants. The daily VDT working time of most participants was 6 to 8 hours. When 95 (22.7 %) of the participants engaged in computer more than 8 hours, DED symptoms 63 (66,3%) were more likely to occur.

Conclusion:

Approximately 98.8% of the VDT workers of creative industry in Jakarta has DED symptoms and 22.7% of them have working time more than 8 hours. Avoiding excessive VDT exposures and changes in the modifiable risks could lead to a better quality of life of VDT workers.

Keywords: Dry Eye Disease, Visual Display Terminals (VDT), Prolonged Working Hours