Validity and Reliability of the Persian Version of the Computer Vision Syndrome Questionnaire

Computer vision syndrome (CVS) is one of the most common health concerns associated with the extensive use of computers, particularly in the working environment. Since recent studies have shown the high prevalence of CVS, it is necessary to have an appropriate tool for assessing this prevalence. The present research aims to translate the CVS questionnaire and analyze its validity and reliability and assess the incidence of this condition among the staff members at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.

The translation of the main questionnaire into the Persian version was carried out in three steps. Two coefficients including the content validity ratio (CVR) and the content validity index (CVI) were used to evaluate the content validity of the questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaire was examined using two methods including internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and test-retest. In total, 240 participants were asked to fulfill the questionnaire in order to investigate the prevalence rate of CVS among the staff members of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. After removing the ineligible ones, 219 questionnaires were examined.

The internal consistency coefficient and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient were 0.91 and 0.89, respectively. Out of a total of 102 women and 117 men, only 19 women and 21 men did not have CVS. Among the studied symptoms, eye redness (78.1%), burning (76.7%), and headache (74%) were the most prevalent in the statistical population. No significant relationship was observed between the final score of CVS and gender.

In terms of validity and reliability, the questionnaire was found to be satisfactory. The prevalence of CVS among the staff members of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences was high (81%). To determine the etiologies, further research is needed.