Changes in Blink Rate, Reading Performance, and Ocular Discomfort During Print and Digital Reading Among Young Adults with Myopia: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study.

Background: Digital reading has become increasingly prevalent among students and young adults. Prolonged screen exposure has been associated with reduced blink activity, ocular discomfort, and symptoms of digital eye strain. However, evidence comparing blink behavior and reading performance between digital and print reading among myopic individuals remains limited. Objective: To compare spontaneous blink activity, reading performance, and ocular discomfort during print and digital reading tasks among young adults with myopia.

Methods: This cross-sectional comparative study included 40 healthy myopic adults aged 18-30 years. Participants were allocated to either a soft-copy reading group (n = 20) or a hard-copy reading group (n = 20). Subjects read identical text for 15 minutes under standardized environmental conditions. Blink activity was recorded using video analysis. Reading performance was assessed by the total number of words completed during the reading task. Ocular discomfort was evaluated before and after reading using the Ocular Discomfort Analog Scale (ODAS). Data were analyzed using non-parametric statistical tests, with statistical significance established at p < 0.05.

Results: Participants in the hard-copy group demonstrated significantly greater blink activity than those in the soft-copy group (56.80 ± 1.99 vs. 25.80 ± 4.31 blinks during 15 minutes; p < 0.001). Reading performance was significantly higher during print reading (1953.85 ± 92.74 vs. 1620.00 ± 184.81 words completed; p < 0.001). Ocular discomfort symptoms increased following both reading conditions but were more frequent and severe after digital reading. Eye dryness and eye fatigue were the most commonly reported symptoms.

Conclusion: Digital reading was associated with significantly reduced blink activity, lower reading performance, and greater ocular discomfort compared with print reading among young adults with myopia. These findings suggest that prolonged digital reading may contribute to visual fatigue and symptoms of digital eye strain.