AWARENESS AND PRACTICES OF VISUAL HYGIENE AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

This study comprehensively examined the awareness and practice of visual hygiene among undergraduate students of the University of Benin, Benin City, with a focus on evaluating their level of knowledge, behavioural compliance, and the major barriers influencing adherence to recommended visual health practices. Employing a descriptive cross-sectional research design, data were collected from 428 undergraduate students selected across various faculties through a structured, self-administered questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. The findings revealed a moderate level of awareness (68.2%) regarding visual hygiene principles, as the majority of students demonstrated understanding of fundamental aspects such as adjusting screen brightness (71.3%) and using adequate lighting (65.2%). However, fewer respondents were aware of key preventive and behavioural components including maintaining correct posture (51.2%), practicing regular blinking to prevent dry eye (44.6%), undergoing routine eye examinations (33.9%), and eating a diet rich in eye-healthy nutrients (27.3%). The level of practice was also found to be low (45.6%), as most students reported spending an average of three to six hours daily on digital screens but showed poor compliance with preventive strategies such as taking regular breaks and maintaining ergonomic posture. The use of eye care services was largely reactive, with 58.0% of respondents visiting the eye clinic only when visual symptoms occurred. The study also revealed that behavioural barriers such as forgetfulness (46.7%), time constraints, and low motivation significantly hindered the consistent application of good visual hygiene practices. Furthermore, chi-square analysis indicated no statistically significant relationship between faculty of study and awareness levels (p>0.05), suggesting that knowledge of visual hygiene was generally uniform across disciplines. The study concludes that although undergraduate students of the University of Benin possess moderate awareness of visual hygiene, their actual practices remain inadequate, revealing a persistent knowledge–practice gap. Ittherefore recommends the implementation of continuous educational interventions, integration ofvisual hygiene modules into university curricula, and the establishment of institutional support.