Computer-induced Eye Strain: What you Should Know Technically referred as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), computer eye strain delineates a temporary condition that occurs as a result of prolonged focusing on a computer screen. There was a time when computer was not known to majority of people. At present, however, computer is as an essential part of life. Although computers play a vital role in raising the productivity level, it is also one of the major causes of eye strain which is a common problem faced by computer users. The underlying reason is that our eyes are not deigned to gaze at books or flat screens continuously. Moreover, use of computers demands a fix focus to be maintained by the eyes at an alignment of 20” for long durations. Causes of computer eye strain There is a huge population involved in using computers regularly in the present day corporate world. Besides making our work easier, computers are also affecting your eyes. However, one may become a victim to computer eye strain if he/she is involved in playing video games or spending excessive time working online. The major causes contributing to computer eye strain include: Reflected glare One of the major causes of computer strain is the glare coming from the computer screen. It is therefore better to place the device in a way that the screen top is directly below the seeing position. Ergonomically unfit set up: The comfort level varies for every individual. The position of your monitor and keyboard may contribute to computer eye strain. Distance from the monitor: The ideal distance to be maintained between your eyes and the monitor is 60cm at least. Sitting and working close to the computer also contributes to be a major cause of computer eye strain. Concentration: While working online, the eyes concentrate on the various words being typed and the various sentences being read. This concentration level may lead to blurred vision when the eyes start getting tired. This further contributes to computer eye strain. Improper lighting plus screen brightness: Have you ever noticed that our eyes begin to hurt, water, and close down when we stare at the sun? The underlying reason is that the light from the sun is just too strong for the eyes that it can cause eye strain. Same is the case with your computer monitor and the lighting environment in your office. If the lighting scheme of your monitor is excessively brighter than your office lighting, you may become a victim to computer eye strain. Tiresomeness of staring: Every time you stare at a computer monitor while working online, the eyes are just small muscles to take the load. You may not, however, realise that the eyes are getting strained through the continuous hard work being done by your eyes. This unnoticed computer eye strain makes it important for you to know about the symptoms of computer eye strain. Symptoms of Computer Eye Strain The most general symptoms of computer eye strain include: Twitching on eyelids Headaches Dizziness Migraines Fatigue Pain in eyes Dry eyes feeling scratchy Watery or red eyes Problematic focusing Blurred or double vision Muscle spasms of eye lids or the eye itself Pain in back and neck Besides causing the small but annoying problems, computer eye strain also affects the efficiency of work. Furthermore, computer eye strain may also cause more serious health complications. Eye strain, therefore, implies overworked and tired eyes which result in reduced focusing ability and improper vision as well. How to relieve computer eye strain Some of the simple tips to relieve your eyes of computer eye strain include: Replacing the computer screen with an LCD for it is less strenuous for the eyes Making adjustments with the contrast and brightness of the screen Getting a complete and thorough eye examination don Use of proper lighting at your workplace Use artificial tears at regular intervals to relieve computer eye strain Reducing glare from the computer Blinking the eyes more often Adjusting the tone of the focusing muscles by looking at something placed at a distance as well as other objects other than the computer screen at different time intervals Ensuring the objects being looked at to be positioned at the same level as that of the computer screen. This would help you avoid the strain on eye muscles Altering the position of the computer screen to be at a position directly below the eye level Some Additional Tips Get a solution for humidity There are numerous factors contributing to computer eye strain. The air existing in the office milieu is dry which causes computer eye strain and dry eyes. Adding more to the fact, constant use of computer leads to lesser blinking of eyes than what normally should be. To add to your knowledge, blinking of eyes is the most natural recipe for eyes’ moisture. Take frequent breaks While working on computer screen, it is good to take short but frequent breaks to avoid the strain on the eyes. Some good tips to take a break are: Move away from your computer for a few minutes. Taking a break after every hour can prove helpful. However, if you are not able to leave your desk, you can always lean back to close the eyes and relax. Divide strenuous job tasks into different segments instead of working in the form of long computer sessions. Modify your work habits Additionally, you can treat computer eye strain by modifying your work habits in the following manner: Enlarge text The eyes take strain in reading small font. It is, therefore, advisable to keep the font large to give a break to the eyes. While working online or in text editors, use keyboard shortcuts to enlarge the fonts as required. As concerned with text on webpage which seem to be too small to be read without strain, you can use a text editor to read it easily. Adding further, enlarge the font to a size that can be read comfortably. Remember, if you still need to strain the eyes or move your head closer to the screen while working, it means that the font is still small for the eyes. Read offline Another cause for computer eye strain includes intense online reading on the computer monitor. It reduces the productivity in addition to putting strain on the eyes. While reading a long document or article, take a print out of it and read it comfortably in proper lighting. However, another way of reducing online reading is through scanning and purposeful web surfing. Work in spurts Unlike computer, you are not a machine that can work non-stop for hours and hours. Your eyes need frequent breaks to take rest and get recharged. It is quite easy to follow the 20-20 rule. Take a break of 20 seconds after every 20minutes. This way, you take your eyes off the computer to look onto an object placed at a distance of about 20ft. However, if you don’t want to show that you are not working, you can take short and frequent trips to the water cooler or the rest room to give a break to your eyes.
Posted on: Sat, 23 Nov 2013 09:15:43 +0000
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