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| Improper positioning of wrists, elbows,
shoulders, back, neck and eyes can cause
discomfort. |
Overview
Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) refers to a group of
vision-related problems and other symptoms that result
from prolonged computer use. The American Optometric
Association estimates that approximately 75 percent of
regular computer users have CVS – as many as 60 million
people, with about 1 million new cases each year.
Although CVS can result from using video games,
multimedia entertainment devices, televisions or other
electronic devices with a display monitor, visual
symptoms ranging from eye strain and headaches to
blurred vision and dry eye are more likely to occur from
using a personal computer because of the letters on the
screen. They are formed by tiny dots called pixels
rather than a solid image and to keep these letters in
focus, the eye must work harder.
Symptoms
Operating a computer for as little as 2-3 hours per day
increases your risk of CVS symptoms, which include:
- Blurred near vision
- Difficulty in adjusting focus at different
distances, such as near to far and back near again
- Eye strain, soreness or irritation
- Dry or red eyes
- Headaches, which typically disappear after
periods of rest
- Irritation and discomfort while wearing contact
lenses
- Soreness or discomfort in the neck, shoulders,
back, forearms, wrists or hands
Besides strain, some of these symptoms result from
ultraviolet radiation from the computer screen, which
suppresses blinking. When blinking slows, lubrication
from tears decreases and results in eye irritation,
dryness, redness and other symptoms.
Prevention
Perhaps the easiest preventative measure is to take
frequent breaks from continuous computer use – many
experts recommend 10 minutes for each hour of use. You
should also adjust your work station to minimize glare
and maximize visual and physical comfort. This includes
moving your chair, monitor and other items so the screen
is at least 20 inches from your eyes, with its center
about 6 inches below your eyes. The screen should be
directly in front of you, not to the side or at an
angle.
Meanwhile, to minimize the non-visual symptoms, hands
and wrists should be about waist height while on the
keyboard and forearms should be at a 90-degree angle to
your body, parallel to the floor.
Eyewear plays a role in preventing and treating CVS.
Make sure glasses and contact lenses are the correct
prescription and designed for working at a computer. If
you are presbyopic, “progressive” lenses can be
tailor-made for computer users. Meanwhile, those who
wear bifocals may find themselves keeping their head in
an uncomfortable position, adding to problems.
When buying eyewear, ask about protective UV and
anti-glare coatings to help to reduce these problems.
You can also place filters with UV and glare protection
on your monitor or investigate buying a flat “plasma”
monitor, which doesn’t emit UV rays.
Treatment
Besides adjusting your work station and ensuring eyewear
is suited for computer use, make a conscious effort to
blink frequently and use artificial tears as recommended
by your eyecare provider. One of the biggest complaints
of patients with CVS is dry, irritated, red eyes –
resulting from infrequent blinking and lower tear
lubrication.
If you work under fluorescent lights, you may
consider switching to incandescent bulbs. Some research
indicates that fluorescent light can exacerbate
eyestrain, headaches and other CVS symptoms; while they
appear to be "on" constantly, fluorescents actually
flicker about 60 times per second, which can fatigue the
eye. |
