Computer Vision Symptoms

If you spend a significant amount of time on a computer each day, you might experience symptoms of computer vision syndrome (CVS). Symptoms appear because the eyes and brain react differently to words on a computer screen than they do to printed text. Visual symptoms related to computer use can be caused by visual disorders, poor workplace conditions and individual work habits. If you are having trouble with your eyes while using a computer, compare your symptoms with the list below

You may be suffering from computer vision syndrome.

Eyestrain

Eyestrain, or asthenopia, may be caused by many different environmental and visual conditions. When focusing continuously on a near task, such as working on a computer or reading a book, the muscles of the inner eye may tighten. This tightness can cause eye irritation and produce symptoms such as fatigue, red eyes, eye pain, blurred vision, headache and double vision.

Solution: Take a break.
Give your eyes a rest by focusing on a distant object at least once every hour.

Blurry Vision

Blurred vision is a loss of sharpness of vision and the inability to see small details. Blurry vision is sometimes related to the inability of the eyes to steadily focus on a computer screen for a significant amount of time. Also, vision may be blurred by constantly changing focus, such as looking back and forth between the keyboard and the computer screen. However, if you are nearing the age of 40, blurry vision may be caused by presbyopia. Presbyopia is the loss of the eye's ability to change focus to see near objects and is a normal condition associated with aging.

Solution: Consider purchasing a pair of computer glasses.
Computer glasses are prescribed to increase your comfort level while at the computer.

Dry Eyes

Dry eyes result from a lack of moisture in the eyes. Tears replenish moisture to the eye by way of blinking. Blinking is one of the fastest reflexes of the body. However, people tend to blink about half as much as normal when they are working on a computer.

Solution: Blink more often.
Also, replenish moisture in the eye by using artificial tears.

Headaches

You may develop a headache after staring at a computer screen for a significant amount of time. The brightness and contrast of the monitor may produce an indirect glare that is hard on the eyes. Direct glare, light that shines directly into the eyes such as overhead lights and light from windows, can also cause eyestrain and headaches.

Solution: Make sure the brightness and contrast of your computer monitor are at comfortable viewing levels. Also, avoid direct glare from windows and lighting.

Double Vision

Double vision, or diplopia, is the perception of two images from a single object. Staring at a computer screen for too long may cause double vision.

Solution: A pair of computer glasses may prevent double vision. (Double vision can also be a sign of a severe vision or neurologic problem, so a complete eye exam is required.)

Back and Neck Ache

Since the eyes lead the body, we may sit in awkward positions while at the computer to compensate for visual problems as they occur. Slumping or slouching can lead to neck and back pain. Also, if you wear glasses with a bifocal while at the computer, you may unknowingly be tilting your head in various ways in order to see the screen clearly, resulting in physical pain.

Solution: Use proper posture. Be aware of the way you hold your body while at the computer. Posture problems are often relieved by wearing proper glasses. Also, evaluate your computer station for good ergonomics.

With the popularity of computer use steadily increasing, computer vision syndrome has become a common vision complication. Many people are seeking relief from unpleasant symptoms of CVS, including eyestrain and irritation. However, any type of vision symptom should be checked by your optometrist or ophthalmologist to rule out a possible underlying cause.

How to Prevent Computer Vision Syndrome in Children

Many children use a computer every day. Sitting in front of a computer screen for extended time periods may cause strain on the eyes. When you look at a computer screen, your eyes actually focus behind the screen, forcing them to constantly adjust. Extensive viewing of a computer may cause bothersome symptoms in adults as well as children, such as eye discomfort, fatigue, blurred vision, and headaches. These symptoms, when associated with computer use, are referred to as computer vision syndrome (CVS). These tips will help prevent computer vision syndrome in children.

1. Watch for symptoms

Parents should be aware of symptoms that may indicate computer vision syndrome, such as eye redness, frequent eye rubbing, unusual postures, or complaints of blurriness or eye fatigue. Avoiding the computer may also be an indication that a child is experiencing discomfort from computer vision syndrome.

2. Check the lighting

Make sure there is no glare on the computer screen. Windows or other light sources should not be directly visible when sitting in front of the monitor. When this occurs, turn the desk or computer to prevent glare on the screen. Close curtains or blinds to reduce the amount of light coming through your windows. Glare screens (available in office supply stores) can be added to a monitor to reduce glare, too.

3. Check the computer height

Computer workstations should be arranged to suit your child--not an adult. The size of the child should determine where to place the monitor and keyboard. The computer monitor must not be too high for the child. The screen should be tilted slightly downward at a 15-degree angle. An adjustable chair that can be raised may solve this problem. A foot stool may also be necessary to support the child's feet. Keep in mind that the recommended distance between the monitor and the child is about two feet.

4. Limit computer use

Monitor your child's time on the computer, watching for signs of fatigue. Children tend to have a minimum degree of self-awareness, often ignoring feelings of discomfort. Encourage your child to take frequent breaks. A 10-minute break every hour will allow the eyes to rest, minimizing the development of eye irritation caused by constant focusing and reduced blinking. (People tend to blink less often when concentrating, especially when working on a computer.)

5. Get an eye exam

A comprehensive eye examination will determine if your child sees clearly and comfortably. An eye doctor can detect any hidden conditions that may cause eye strain. It is most important that near-point vision be checked carefully, as computer use is a near-point activity. If needed, the doctor may prescribe a pair of special glasses, called computer glasses, to be worn while working on the computer.

Workplace Eye Health

It is estimated that adults spend an average of 12 hours each day in front of a screen, whether it be a TV, laptop, desktop, smartphone or tablet. A recent report from The Vision Council shows that close to 70% of American adults experience some form of digital eyestrain due to constant and intense exposure to electronic devices. With our world moving into the digital age, it’s increasingly important that we protect our eyes, starting in the workplace, where the time spent sitting in front of a computer screen or tablet consumes a large part of our day.

I recently interviewed Dr. Mark Jacquot, LensCrafters’ senior clinical director of eye care and vision care operations, about workplace eye health and how his company is changing the way their optometrists are performing eye exams in order to diagnose eye problems related to digital eye strain and computer vision syndrome.

What does "workplace eye health" really mean?

Workplace eye health is associated with visual hygiene. This means that when we are in the workplace, we should be seeing comfortably and clearly with no eyestrain. Employees need to be aware of the pitfalls of extended eye use during work hours and how the eyes can become fatigued if we do not take frequent breaks and take special precautions regarding our eyes and vision. Visual hygiene also encompasses the effects that UV (ultraviolet) and certain wavelengths of blue light have on the eye at work.

How should we take care of our eyes in the workplace?

We first need to have a complete eye examination to ensure we have the correct eyeglass or contact lens prescription and the appropriate lens technology built into the lens for the specific visual task to be performed; more specifically, on the computer and while using the plethora of digital devices that enhance our life today but yet create tremendous eye fatigue.

What causes digital eyestrain?

There are really three components that are creating more digital eyestrain. The first one is more of a focal component. The idea of being locked in at a very close range has been shown in research to cause eye problems and possibly make one prone to developing nearsightedness when combined with other genetic factors that enhance the propensity to becoming nearsighted.

Secondly, when we stare at a computer we tend to blink less often. Blinking less creates imbalances in our tear film and people may begin to complain of fluctuating vision, dry eyes or fatigue. People will come in basically complaining of severe eyestrain. We are starting to see more and more children coming in at a younger age with significant myopia (nearsightedness.) This may be a by-product of simply being more educated, but also we are being bombarded by the use of more digital devices, computers, tablets, and small screens.

The third thing for us to really consider when thinking of digital eyestrain is blue light. Digital devices emit a certain wavelength of blue light. Some blue light is good for us because it controls our circadian rhythms. However, blue light can depress melatonin levels in our body. Excess blue light emitted from digital devices can severely interrupt our sleep patterns, causing irritability and behavior problems. This can put one at risk for obesity, diabetes, hypertension and a host of other medical problems. Blue light has also been implicated in worsening the progression of diseases such as macular degeneration.

What are the symptoms of digital eyestrain?

Dryness
Fatigue
Eye strain
Headaches
Blurred or fluctuating vision

How can employers help their employees?

They should think about ergonomics and how their workstations are set up. The monitors need to be set up at an appropriate height and possibly certain filters can be used reduce screen glare from the computer screen. The employer should also make sure that they provide an eye exam benefit as a part of the benefits package offered the employer. An eye exam can reveal undiagnosed problems that may create workplace fatigue or make a certain patient at risk for computer vision syndrome and sometimes even systemic problems that affect that affect the entire body.

What are some tips to help the working person reduce digital eyestrain?

1. Set up your workspace correctly. The top of your monitor should be one inch below eye level and roughly an arm’s length away.When you look up it causes the extraocular muscles in and around your eyes to tense up, along with the muscles in the neck and shoulders. The least stressful position for our eyes and our whole body is looking straight ahead.

2. Practice the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds. Looking away from your monitor at an object in the distance forces your eyes to refocus. When we look at on object up close, the muscles in our eyes are flexing and tense, but when we look in the distance, they relax. Overstrained eye muscles cause blurry vision and can lead to vision decline.

3. Use artificial tears. The average person blinks 15 times per minute. When looking at a monitor, that statistic is cut in half, which is why adults complain about dry eyes after extended exposure to screens. Artificial tears can help keep your eyes hydrated and the muscles relaxed.

4. Wear glasses with anti-glare lenses. Those who need eyewear specific for screens should consider getting an anti-reflective coating in the lenses to minimize glare from the screen.