The mucin 5AC level in medical faculty students with Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS)

Introduction: Prolonged computer use will lead to a group of symptoms such as dryness of eyes, tired, headache and others called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). The decrease of Mucin 5 AC (MUC5AC) level could be one of the signs of dry eye disease on persons with CVS.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to describe the Mucin 5AC level in medical faculty students of Udayana University, Bali, Indonesia with CVS.

Method: It is an observational cross-sectional analytic study at Medical Faculty Udayana University on October 2018. Thirty four subject selected  by purposive sampling and examined with Schirmer I test, Tear Break Up time (TBUT) test, and Mucin 5AC test. All of the subject then divided into CVS group and non-CVS group. Mucin 5AC level which less than 186.33 ng/mL categorized as low mucin, while more than 186.33 ng/mL categorized as normal mucin level. Data was analyzed by crosstabulation table and chi-square test with significant value p < 0.05.

Result: Most of the students who diagnosed with CVS had lower mucin 5AC levels as much as 77,3% and 33,3% students with CVS had normal mucin 5AC level.  This study analyses found there is significant association between level of mucin 5AC with CVS. The students with low level of mucin 5AC had 6,8 higher risk tend to be CVS (OR=6,8; CI 95%= 1,42-32,37; p=0,012).

Conclusion: Low level of mucin 5AC has association with the risk of CVS in the medical students with prolonged computer use.