Abstract Purpose : To investigate the prevalence and risk factors for dry eye syndrome (DES) in university students. Methods : A cross-sectional survey of university students was conducted through a combination of online smartphone surveys using Google Forms and face-to-face questionnaires. The questionnaire consisted of questions about risk factors for dry eye disease and the 5-item Dry Eye Questionnaire (DEQ-5). Results : A total of 288 university students participated in the study. The average age was 22.5±2.1 years, w ith 54.2% female a nd 4 5.8% m ale. The m ean of t he D EQ-5 s core w as 7.37±4.65, and the prevalence of DES by DEQ-5 was 47.2%. Female gender (p=0.012), digital screen use for more than 8 hours per day (p=0.018), digital screen use for more than two hours without a break (p=0.035), contact lens wear (p=0.016), refractive surgery (p=0.020), less than 6 hours of sleep per night (p=0.0169, and allergic conjunctivitis (p=0.016) were relevant associated risk factors for DES. Conclusion : The prevalence of DES in young adults may be underestimated in comparison to middle-aged and older adults. The severity of DES depends on several factors, including genetic and environmental factors, so identifying risk factors would help with proper prevention and early diagnosis. Key words : DEQ-5, Dry eye syndrome, Risk factor