Keywords
Relaxations
Phone Ad-diction
Students
How to Cite
Abstract
Smartphone addiction among college students is associated with digital eye strain and adverse ocular physiological changes, yet evidence-based interventions remain limited. We aimed to evaluate whether yogic practices combined with yoga nidra provide superior benefits compared with yogic practices alone for improving ocular health in smartphone-addicted college students. We conducted a single-blind, randomised controlled trial between June and October 2024. College students aged 18-25 years with smartphone addiction (Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version score ≥31 for males, ≥33 for females) were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either yogic practices plus yoga nidra (YP+YN; 90 minutes per session) or yogic practices alone (YP; 60 minutes per session), delivered three times weekly for 16 weeks. The primary outcome was visual acuity measured using the Snellen chart. Secondary outcomes included near-point of convergence, accommodative facility, tear film break-up time, intraocular pressure, digital eye strain symptoms, and computer vision syndrome scores. Outcome assessors were masked to group allocation. Of 156 students assessed for eligibility, 120 were randomised to YP+YN (n=60) or YP (n=60). The overall retention rate was 86.7% (104 of 120 participants). Both groups showed significant improvements in visual acuity, but the YP+YN group demonstrated greater improvement (mean difference 0.10 [95% CI 0.07-0.13] vs 0.05 [0.03-0.07]; between-group difference p=.031). All secondary physiological outcomes favoured the YP+YN group, including near-point of convergence (between-group difference p=.007), accommodative facility (p=.012), tear film break-up time (p=.023), intraocular pressure (p=.036), digital eye strain score (p<.001), and computer vision syndrome score (p=.003). No serious adverse events occurred. Yogic practices combined with yoga nidra provide superior benefits compared whith yogic practices alone for improving ocular health in smartphone-addicted college students. These findings support the integration of comprehensive yogic interventions into preventive healthcare programmes targeting technology-related health problems.
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