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Are computers hard on your eyes?

Posted in Eye Care

In this day in age, most people would not be able to function efficiently without the knowledge of how to use a computer. Computers are part of our lives now; from our jobs to our hobbies, to even finding a restaurant for date night. The growing use of computers in the home and office comes with an increase in health risks, especially for the eyes. One eye problem, called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), afflicts more and more people who find themselves continually in front of computer screens, tablets, or e-readers. There has yet to be any documented permanent damage to the visual system, however the effects can last well after computer use stops, up to 5-8 hours.

The most common symptoms of CVS include:

  • Blurred vision and/or eyestrain
    • Blurred vision may occur not only during computer work, but more commonly up to many hours after stopping computer use. The reason is the eye muscles can become “locked” due to continued focus at a specific working distance, i.e. the computer. When this happens, the muscles begin to spasm, which creates a temporary blur in distance vision.
  • Dry eyes (watery, burning, and gritty sensations)
  • Headaches
  • Neck and shoulder pain

These symptoms are usually caused by:

  • Incorrect glasses or contact lens prescriptions
  • Poor lighting/glare from the computer screen
  • Improper viewing distance from the computer
  • Poor seating postures
  • Environmental conditions of the workspace (air vent blowing, low humidity)

How is CVS diagnosed? Your optometrist will be able to diagnose the condition through a comprehensive eye examination. Testing, with special emphasis on visual requirements at your specific computer working distance, may include: a good history, visual acuities, a refraction to determine appropriate lens power, and testing to asses how the eyes are working together and focusing at your specific computer viewing distance.

Ways to trouble shoot causes of CVS:

  • Incorrect glasses or contact lens prescriptions
    • 71 % of patients who have CVS, wear either glasses or contact lenses
    • Eyeglasses wearers:
      • Make sure your glasses sit properly on your face; get your frames professionals adjusted so the center of the lens bisects the center of your pupil to optimize your vision
      • The addition of anti-reflecting coating (AR) on the lenses of your glasses will greatly reduce the percentage of glare entering your visual system.
    • Contact lens wearers:
      • Remember to blink while staring at the computer, this seems simple but it is very hard to do. Computer use decreases blinking to almost 1/3 of the normal blinking rate.
      • Straight ahead gaze to the center of the computer screen exposes your eyes to more air; adjust the screen lower.
      • Frequent use of artificial tears to lubricate the eyes (talk to your optometrist to determine which brand is appropriate for your eyes and contact lenses material).
  • Poor lighting/glare from the computer screen
    • Reduce glare and harsh reflections by modifying the lighting in the room; close window shades, optimize the brightness or contrast of the computer screen, or attach a filter to the monitor. This will help your eyes focus better and minimize the need to squint.
    • Conduct the “visor test” to see if you need to make the above modifications. Cup your hands over your eyes, like a baseball cap, and look at the monitor. This will block all surrounding light. If you notice an improvement, then lighting changes should be made.
  • Improper viewing distance from the computer
    • The screen should be at or just beyond arm’s length away (about 20 to 26 inches) and directly in front of your face. Then center of the monitor should be lower than your eyes (about 4 to 8 inches) to allow your neck to relax. When looking slightly down at the computer, this will also increase your blink rate and more lid will be covering your eye more so dry eye symptoms will be reduced.
    • Place your reference materials as close to the monitor as possible. This will lessen neck movements and decrease the need for your eyes to have to re-focus on the materials if they are at a similar viewing distance as your screen.
  • Poor seating postures
    • Adjust the height of the chair so your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle, with your feet flat on the floor. Sit straight against a back rest, with your forearms on the armrest, bent at a 90-degree angle.
    • The keyboard and mouse should be located below your elbow, within easy reach of our hands.
  • Environmental conditions of the workspace (air vent blowing, low humidity)
    • Keep all air vents and drafts from blowing on your face and eyes during your work day.
    • Low humidity rooms, along with dusty areas, can dry your eyes.

References:

American Optometric Association http://www.aoa.org/x5253.xml

Penn Medicine http://www.pennmedicine.org/ophth/conditions/cvs.html

MD support http://www.mdsupport.org/library/cvs.html

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