Screen time across several devices has increased for many Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic

Washington, DC, July 21, 2020 -- A new Alcon/Ipsos poll finds that many Americans are spending more time on screens during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among those who report spending more time in front of a screen, nearly half (45%) say that they have experienced their eyes feeling dry as a result and 60% are concerned about the impact that increased screen time will have on their eyes.

Detailed Findings

Screen time has increased for many Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic:

• A majority admit they have been spending more time on their smart/mobile phones (59%), watching television (59%), or in front of a computer screen (55%) since the pandemic began;
• At least a quarter report that the time they spend on a tablet (31%) or video game device (25%) has also increased during the pandemic.
• Younger adults, particularly those under the age of 35, are especially likely to be spending more time on screens versus those over the age of 55.

Most are aware that increased screen time can cause eye dryness:

• Among those who report spending more time on at least one device, 72% say that they are aware that increased screen time may cause dryness of their eyes. In fact, nearly half among this group have experienced this during the pandemic (45%).
• Three in five (60%) are concerned about the impact that increased screen time will have on their eyes.

About the Study

These are the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between July 7 - 8, 2020 on behalf of Alcon. For this survey, a sample of 1,005 adults age 18+ from the continental U.S., Alaska, and Hawaii was interviewed online in English. The poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for all respondents.

The sample for this study was randomly drawn from Ipsos’ online panel (see link below for more info on “Access Panels and Recruitment”), partner online panel sources, and “river” sampling (see link below for more info on the Ipsos “Ampario Overview” sample method) and does not rely on a population frame in the traditional sense. Ipsos uses fixed sample targets, unique to each study, in drawing a sample. After a sample has been obtained from the Ipsos panel, Ipsos calibrates respondent characteristics to be representative of the U.S. Population using standard procedures such as raking-ratio adjustments. The source of these population targets is U.S. Census 2016 American Community Survey data. The sample drawn for this study reflects fixed sample targets on demographics. Posthoc weights were made to the population characteristics on gender, age, race/ethnicity, region, and education.  

Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online non-probability polls. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error. Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for all respondents. Ipsos calculates a design effect (DEFF) for each study based on the variation of the weights, following the formula of Kish (1965). This study had a credibility interval adjusted for design effect of the following (n=1,005, DEFF=1.5, adjusted Confidence Interval=+/-5.0 percentage points).

For more information on this news release, please contact:
 
Talin Sesetyan
Director, US
Health Custom
+1 201 574-8083
[email protected]
 
Dina Muschinske
Senior Account Manager, US
Health Custom
+1 201 574-8126
[email protected]   

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