One year after the opening of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, data on the eye health of 140,000 people *1 obtained at the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion was cross-referenced and analyzed with data from body measurement pods.
The impact of the digital society on "eye problems" and "eye age" *2, as well as the "correlation with skin," were revealed!
April 13, 2026
ROHTO Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka City, President: Hidetoshi Segi) collected and analyzed eye health data from over 100,000 people *1 at its "Future Eye Care" booth exhibited at the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion of the 2025 Japan International Exposition (Osaka-Kansai Expo). As a result, it was found that approximately 30% of people spend more than 8 hours a day viewing digital content on weekdays, and that the longer the viewing time, the higher the rate at which people experience eye problems. Furthermore, using "eye age" *2 as one indicator, the actual state of eyes and their relationship to skin problems among modern people have become clearer.
Based on these results, we will continue to utilize them in our "eye health initiatives," including awareness campaigns.
*1: The analysis was based on 143,086 data points linked to booth experience data and body measurement pod data from April 13, 2025 to October 13, 2025.
*2: Eye age: An estimated apparent age calculated by AI analyzing image data of the condition of the surface of the eyes and the skin around the eyes.
Topics revealed by data on eye health
Data reveals the true nature of booth visitors' eyes.
Topic 1: The strain on modern people's eyes! Increasingly long hours of digital viewing.
- Approximately 30% of people watch digital devices for "8 hours or more" on weekdays.
- Over 40% of people in their 20s and 30s watch TV for more than 8 hours.
A survey on weekday digital viewing time revealed that approximately 30% of respondents answered "8 hours or more." Furthermore, over 40% of those in their 20s and 30s fell into this category, highlighting the reality that younger generations spend longer hours using digital devices. This suggests that the daily use of smartphones and computers is leading to serious strain on the eyes.
Topic 2: The relationship between viewing time and eye problems
- Approximately 60% of people regularly experience "heavy eyelids and dry eyes."
In response to the question, "Do you experience heaviness in your eyelids or dryness in your eyes in your daily life?", 62.1% of people answered "yes" (total of "yes," "somewhat," and "very much"). Also, 59.6% of people answered "yes" to the question, "Have you experienced dry eyes in the past week?", suggesting that many people are going about their daily lives with eye discomfort.
- Impact on daytime performance? Over 70% of people feel sleepy.
In response to the question, "Do you experience daytime sleepiness?", 74.8% of respondents answered "Yes" (sum of "Slightly sleepy," "Sleepy," and "Very sleepy"). Concerns exist regarding the impact of eye condition on QOL (quality of life) and daytime performance, and it is possible that this sleepiness is related to the condition of the eyes.
Topic 3: Attention to those 40 and over! The longer you spend watching content on your device, the higher your "eye age" becomes!
- The average "eye age" measured at the Expo site was 43.8 years old, which is lower than the average actual age (45.5 years old).
- A study investigating the gap between "eye age" and actual age, and the amount of time spent looking at digital devices such as PCs and smartphones, revealed a tendency for "eye age" to increase with longer digital viewing time. This trend was particularly pronounced among middle-aged and older adults in their 40s to 60s.
Topic 4: Are all modern people suffering from tired eyes? More than 40% have severe eye strain.
- The average eye strain score among participants was 64 points. Over 60% scored 60 points or higher, and 40% scored 80 points or higher. Despite no difference in monitor viewing time, those scoring 80 points or higher tended to experience stronger symptoms of "digital damage," "heavy eyelids," and "daytime sleepiness."
- Of those who scored 80 points or higher on the eye strain scale, approximately 25% did not experience any noticeable symptoms. This suggests that one in four people may actually be experiencing eye strain without realizing it.
Topic 5: There's a correlation between eye age and skin youthfulness! 40% of people have youthful skin but older-looking eyes.
- A correlation was found between eye age and skin youthfulness. Furthermore, when examining the individual items of the skin score in relation to eye age, it was confirmed that "eye bags" and "wrinkles" were correlated with eye age.
- Despite having youthful skin scores, 40% of participants had an eye age higher than their actual age. A comparative analysis of this group revealed that many experienced daytime sleepiness (top 2 difference: 6.0 points) and spent longer periods watching monitors (top 2 difference: 12.3 points). Even with youthful skin, complacency is dangerous. You might be losing out because of your eyes. This suggests that the amount of time spent watching monitors can lead to disparities in eye age.
Background and objectives of the initiative
Last year, at the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, our company held an experiential exhibition themed "Future Eye Care," providing many visitors with an opportunity to learn about and become interested in the condition of their own eyes. As a company that has led Eye Care Business for over 100 years since the launch of our eye drops in 1909, we believe that protecting the "joy of seeing" in this era of 100-year lifespans is our important mission. The big data obtained this time is one of the Expo's legacies, and by analyzing it, we have visualized the "condition of modern people's eyes," which has previously been discussed only intuitively, using data. We will support people in realizing the need for more personalized eye care by understanding the characteristics seen in each generation and lifestyle. Furthermore, in terms of appearance, by combining this with data from the body measurement pod, we were able to delve deeper into the "relationship between eyes and skin." We will use the insights gained from this analysis, as a true Expo legacy, to contribute to the well-being of people all over the world.
Future outlook
As a leading company in eye care, we will further accelerate product and technological development to meet the diverse lifestyles of our customers. Furthermore, we will actively provide information, including insights gained from this data, to encourage each customer to consider their eye health. Moving forward, we will continue to support people's "joy of seeing" and contribute to the realization of a well-being society through science-based initiatives.
Analysis Data Overview
Acquisition period: April 13, 2025 to October 13, 2025
Research Methodology: Measurements using body measurement pods at the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, and questionnaires.
Survey subjects: Participants who experienced the "Future Eye Care" booth at the "Osaka Healthcare Pavilion" of the Osaka-Kansai Expo.
result
The reality of what users see from their experiences, as seen through data.
We asked participants to share their experiences and feelings about living with the product.
Q1. How much time do you spend looking at digital devices on weekdays? (e.g., TV, computer, smartphone)
Approximately 30% responded that they spend "8 hours or more" on digital devices. In particular, over 40% of those in their 20s and 30s fell into this category, highlighting the reality that younger generations spend longer periods of time on digital devices.
Q2 Do you experience heaviness in your eyelids or dryness in your eyes during your daily life?
62.1% of people responded that they "feel" it (total of "feel," "feel somewhat," and "feel very strongly").
(Graph note: Due to rounding, the total exceeds 100%, but it is actually 100%)
Q3 Have you experienced dry eyes in the past week?
59.6% of respondents answered "yes," suggesting that many people experience eye discomfort in their daily lives.
Q4 Do you experience daytime sleepiness?
74.8% of respondents reported feeling sleepy (the sum of "slightly sleepy," "sleepy," and "very sleepy"). Given the concerns about the impact of eye condition on quality of life (QOL) and daytime performance, this sleepiness may be related to the condition of the eyes.
(Graph note: Due to rounding, the total exceeds 100%, but it is actually 100%)
Q5 Have you experienced any situations where the light was too bright for you this past week?
Q6 Have you experienced any worsening of your eye symptoms while using a TV, computer, or smartphone this past week?
A staggering 64.1% of respondents answered that their symptoms sometimes worsened (total of those who answered "occasionally," "sometimes," "often," or "always").
Appearance age vs. actual age
The average "eye age" measured at the Expo site was 43.8 years old, which is lower than the average actual age (45.5 years old).
Analysis results of eye age and the actual condition of the participants' eyes
Attention to those in their 40s to 60s! The gap between digital viewing time and eye age.
A study investigating the gap between eye age and the amount of time spent looking at digital devices such as PCs and smartphones revealed that the group with an eye age younger than their actual age tended to have shorter monitor viewing times. Further analysis of this trend by age group showed that among those in their 40s to 60s, shorter digital viewing times were associated with a lower "eye age" than their actual age, while longer viewing times were associated with a higher "eye age" that approached their actual age.
Eye strain in modern people
The average eye strain score among participants was 64 points. Over 60% scored 60 points or higher, and 40% scored 80 points or higher. Despite no difference in monitor viewing time, those scoring 80 points or higher tended to experience stronger symptoms of "digital damage," "heavy eyelids," and "daytime sleepiness." One in four of those with an eye strain score of 80 points or higher were in the "silent" group, meaning they did not experience any noticeable symptoms. This suggests that even if individuals are unaware of their eye strain, it may actually be present.
When examined by gender and age group, men tended to have higher eye strain scores than women, and there was a tendency for eye strain levels to increase with age.
Relationship between eye age and "skin" score and individual skin characteristics
A positive correlation was found between the age of the eyes and the age of the skin.
When we looked at the gap between the age scores for the eyes and skin and the actual age in a matrix, the main findings were as follows:
- 33.9% of people have youthful eyes and skin.
- 22.5% of people have eyes and skin that look older than their actual age.
- The most common response, at 40.6%, was having a low (young) skin score but a high eye age.
Comparing this 40% group with those with younger eye ages, it was found that they had a higher rate of experiencing drowsiness and spending more than 6 hours using digital devices. Within the individual skin scores, a loose correlation was observed between eye age and "eye bags (coefficient 0.30)" and "wrinkles (coefficient 0.28)." This suggests potential clues for eye area care.
Co-developer of "Future Eye Care" at the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion
Mr. Takenori Inomata, Representative Director, InnoJin Co., Ltd.
"With reports indicating that the prevalence of digital eye strain (DES) exceeds 80% after the pandemic, the fact that we were able to conduct a cross-sectional analysis of eye health-related data from over 100,000 people at the World Expo is of great academic significance. For example, the data shows that more than 60% of people experienced a worsening of symptoms while viewing monitors, and about 60% of those people reported experiencing 'dry eyes.' This may not be unrelated to the 'drastic decrease in blinking due to screen concentration,' which is a major cause of DES."
The intuitive indicator called "Eye Age," developed in collaboration with Rohto Pharmaceutical, visualizes this issue and provides people with an opportunity to relate it to their own lives, which has the potential to serve as a stepping stone for preventive medicine. We hope that this valuable big data will lead to the development of personalized care methods in the future and push eye care research to a new stage.