Accommodation Response Variations in University Students under High Demand for Near-Vision Activity

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate accommodation changes and visual discomfort in a university student population after a period of high demand for near-vision activity. A total of 50 university students aged between 20 and 22 years were recruited. The tests performed involved positive relative accommodation (PRA), negative relative accommodation (NRA), accommodation amplitude (AA), and monocular and binocular accommodative facility (MAF and BAF). Visual discomfort was measured on a scale involving a visual discomfort questionnaire (VDQ). All accommodative variables underwent changes during the exam period; specifically, regarding NRA and PRA, 30.4% and 15.1% of the studied population, respectively, appeared to be below average. Moreover, 42.3% of the population exhibited values below average in the second measure of AA. On the other hand, a small percentage of the population was below average in MAF and BAF measurements: 3% in the monocular right eye test, 6% in the left eye test, and 9.1% in the binocular facility test. Finally, the VDQ score did not reveal a statistically significant difference between the two measurements. Prolonged near-distance work, such as a university exams period, changed all accommodation systems (amplitude of accommodation, relative accommodation, and accommodation facility). These changes influence an accommodation excess that results in blurred vision, headache, and problems with focusing.