Do you get headaches or eyestrain from staring at your computer monitor?

At the end of a long day in front of your computer screen, is it difficult to focus on distant objects?

You may be suffering from computer vision syndrome (CVS).

 

Computer vision syndrome is a serious problem for the millions of people who spend hours in front of a computer every day. Aside from the physical discomfort you may experience from symptoms, computer vision syndrome can have a lasting effect on your vision. There are several preventative steps that you should take if you frequently use a computer. Instead of using your regular eyeglasses for computer work, you may need computer glasses for mid-range vision enhancement. In addition, the lighting around your desk area may need to be adjusted to keep you from squinting. These are simple fixes that will make you much happier.

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What Are the Symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome?

If you or your child spend more than two hours per day in front of a computer screen, it's likely you will experience some degree of computer vision syndrome.

 

Symptoms of CVS include:

Headaches

Loss of focus

Burning eyes

Tired eyes

Double vision

Blurred vision

Neck and shoulder pain

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What Causes Computer Vision Syndrome?

Computer eye strain and computer vision syndrome are caused by our eyes and brain reacting differently to characters on a computer screen than they do to printed characters. Our eyes have little problem focusing on printed material that has dense black characters with well-defined edges. But characters on a computer screen don't have the same degree of contrast and definition.

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Words on a computer screen are created by combinations of tiny points of light (pixels), which are brightest at the center and diminish in intensity toward their edges. This makes it more difficult for our eyes to maintain focus on these images. Instead, our eyes want to drift to a reduced level of focusing called the "resting point of accommodation" or RPA. Our eyes involuntarily move to the RPA and then strain to regain focus on the screen. This continuous flexing of the eyes' focusing muscles creates the fatigue and eye strain that commonly occur during and after computer use.

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What Can I Do About It?

To reduce your risk of computer eye strain and computer vision syndrome, call Vonnahme Eye Care to schedule an appointment. During a computer vision exam, we will perform tests to detect any vision problems that might contribute to CVS. Depending on the outcome of the exam, we may prescribe computer eyeglasses to help you work more comfortably at your computer.

 

In addition to increasing comfort during computer use, recent studies have shown that computer eyeglasses can increase computer worker productivity, with cost savings to employers who provide the eyewear.