Conjunctival impression cytology in computer users.

INTRODUCTION It is known that the computer users develop the features of dry eye. OBJECTIVE To study the cytological changes in the conjunctiva using conjunctival impression cytology in computer users and a control group. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifteen eyes of computer users who had used computers for more than one year and ten eyes of an age-and-sex matched control group (those who had not used computers) were studied by conjunctival impression cytology. RESULTS Conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) results in the control group were of stage 0 and stage I while the computer user group showed CIC results between stages II to stage IV. Among the computer users, the majority ( > 90 %) showed stage III and stage IV changes. CONCLUSION We found that those who used computers daily for long hours developed more CIC changes than those who worked at the computer for a shorter daily duration.