Computer vision syndrome and associated factors among urban and rural bankers in Trinidad and Tobago.

Abstract

Background: Modern workplace requirements in the banking sector require bankers to work on screens for more than 6 h a day, putting much stress and strain on their eyes, which leads to computer vision syndrome. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of computer vision syndrome and associated factors among urban and rural bankers in Trinidad and Tobago.

Methods and materials: A cross-sectional design was applied to collect data from 399 bankers between April and June 2023. The collected data was entered into Excel worksheets and later uploaded to SPSS for further analysis. A variable with a P-value of 0.25 in binary logistic regression is a candidate for multi-variable logistic regression analysis. Finally, a variable with a P-value of 0.05 was used to declare statistical significance.

Results: A total of 371 participants were enrolled in this study, leading to a response rate of 92.9%. Of the total participants, 277 (74.7%) had computer vision syndrome. Working in rural areas (AOR = 2.69; 95% CI [1.41-5.13]) and using eyesight glasses (AOR = 0.57; 95% CI [0.33-0.97]) was associated with computer vision syndrome.

Conclusion: Despite being easily preventable, computer vision syndrome is substantially prevalent among bankers in Trinidad. The use of eye-sight glasses and the working area are significantly associated with computer vision syndrome. Therefore, it is necessary to improve workplace practices by encouraging the use of anti-glare screens and glasses for employees who work long hours on the computer.