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Effect of Occupational Eye Screening on Digital Eye Strain Detection among Computer Professionals in Nigeria

Abstract

Digital eye strain has become an important occupational health concern among computer professionals in Nigeria due to prolonged and intensive use of computers, smartphones, tablets, and other digital devices in the workplace. Computer professionals may spend extended periods performing visually demanding tasks, often with limited opportunities for adequate visual breaks. Prolonged screen exposure, inappropriate viewing distance, poor screen positioning, inadequate lighting, glare, improper workstation ergonomics, and uncorrected refractive errors may contribute to symptoms such as eye fatigue, blurred vision, dry eyes, headaches, difficulty focusing, and ocular discomfort. Persistent digital eye strain may negatively affect workers' concentration, productivity, comfort, work performance, and quality of life. Occupational eye screening provides an opportunity to identify digital eye strain and associated visual problems through routine workplace eye assessments, visual acuity testing, occupational eye-health evaluations, and employee wellness programmes. Early detection may facilitate appropriate eye-care advice, corrective measures, ergonomic adjustments, visual breaks, and referral for comprehensive eye examination where necessary. However, limited occupational eye-health programmes, inadequate screening equipment, shortage of trained eye-care personnel, low awareness, and weak referral and follow-up systems may limit the effectiveness of occupational eye screening in Nigeria. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of occupational eye screening on digital eye strain detection among computer professionals in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on Occupational Health Theory, the Health Belief Model, and the Health Systems Framework. Occupational Health Theory emphasizes the prevention, identification, monitoring, and management of occupational health risks and the promotion of workers' health and well-being. The Health Belief Model explains how computer professionals' perceptions of susceptibility to digital eye strain, perceived severity, perceived benefits of occupational eye screening, perceived barriers, and cues to action may influence participation in workplace eye-health assessments. The Health Systems Framework emphasizes service delivery, health workforce, health information, medical products and technologies, financing, and accessibility as essential components of effective occupational eye-screening programmes. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how occupational eye screening may influence digital eye strain detection among computer professionals in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative cross-sectional analytical or quasi-experimental research design. The study population will comprise computer professionals employed in selected public and private organizations, technology companies, financial institutions, telecommunications companies, educational institutions, and other workplaces across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select states, organizations, departments, and eligible computer professionals. Occupational eye screening will be measured using indicators such as availability of occupational eye-screening programmes, screening coverage, frequency of eye assessments, visual acuity testing, near-vision assessment, assessment of ocular symptoms, workstation and lighting assessment, availability of trained eye-care personnel, screening equipment, digital eye-health education, ergonomic assessment, and referral arrangements. Digital eye strain detection will be assessed using indicators such as eye fatigue, dry-eye symptoms, blurred vision, headaches, ocular discomfort, difficulty focusing, visual disturbances associated with prolonged screen use, newly identified digital eye strain symptoms, severity of symptoms, functional effects on computer-related work, referrals for comprehensive eye examination, and appropriate occupational eye-care recommendations. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, occupational eye-screening registers, eye assessment forms, workplace health records, ergonomic assessment records, referral registers, and relevant organizational documents. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize workers' characteristics, patterns of computer use, screening coverage, eye-health findings, and digital eye strain symptoms. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis, will be used to determine the effect of occupational eye screening on digital eye strain detection. Where appropriate, digital eye strain detection rates before and after implementation of occupational eye-screening programmes may be compared to determine changes associated with the intervention. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that occupational eye screening has a significant positive effect on digital eye strain detection among computer professionals in Nigeria. Computer professionals who participate in occupational eye screening are expected to have a higher likelihood of having previously unrecognized digital eye strain symptoms identified than professionals without access to routine occupational eye assessments. Regular screening may facilitate early recognition of eye fatigue, dry-eye symptoms, blurred vision, headaches, difficulty focusing, and other visual problems associated with prolonged digital-device use. Early detection may provide opportunities for appropriate eye-care education, ergonomic adjustments, corrective measures where indicated, scheduled visual breaks, improved workstation conditions, and referral for comprehensive eye examination when necessary. Occupational eye screening may also increase workers' awareness of appropriate screen viewing distance, screen height, lighting, glare reduction, and healthy digital-device use practices. Conversely, inadequate screening coverage, limited eye-care resources, shortage of trained personnel, low worker participation, poor workplace ergonomics, and weak referral and follow-up systems may reduce the effectiveness of occupational eye screening. The study therefore expects accessible and well-organized occupational eye screening to contribute significantly to improved detection and early management of digital eye strain among computer professionals in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on occupational eye screening, digital eye strain detection, computer professionals, occupational eye health, computer vision-related symptoms, workplace ergonomics, workplace health promotion, preventive healthcare, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, employers, technology organizations, occupational health practitioners, optometrists, ophthalmologists, workplace safety officers, human resource managers, healthcare providers, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for protecting the visual health of computer professionals. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for expanding occupational eye-screening programmes, strengthening workplace eye-health education, improving workstation ergonomics, promoting regular visual breaks, increasing access to trained eye-care professionals and appropriate screening equipment, improving referral and follow-up systems, and integrating occupational eye screening into comprehensive workplace health and wellness programmes for computer professionals across Nigeria.

Keywords: Occupational eye screening, digital eye strain detection, computer professionals, occupational eye health, digital eye strain, workplace ergonomics, visual health, workplace health promotion, preventive healthcare, computer use, Nigeria, public health.