Computer Vision Syndrome – Symptoms, Treatment, Causes, Eye Care

What is Computer Vision Syndrome?

Computer Vision Syndrome usually happens to persons who spend more hours in front of the computer screen every day. It causes the vision and eye problems. This problems or discomforts increase with the increase usage of computer.

Computer Vision Syndrome

Computer Vision Syndrome Symptoms and Signs

Person with this kind of syndrome will report the following signs and symptoms:

Eye strain

It is also medically called as asthenopia. It is a subjective complaint of persons who are affected.

Fatigue

It means being able to be easily tired.

Blurring of vision

It may be due to dirty screen, poor quality, poor viewing angle, reflected glare or defected monitor can lead to blurred vision.

Headaches

It is the common symptoms of this kind of syndrome. When persons have straining of their eyes, he or she will also have headaches.

Dry eyes

Researched shows that persons who work longer hours in front of the computer will have incidences where their eye becomes dry.

Irritated eyes

The person who has this kind of syndrome will have instances that their eyes become irritated.

Neck ache

Most of the time, this is due to strain on your neck upon hours of working in front of the computer.

Backache

The persons with this kind of syndrome, due to improper ergonomics or plainly sitting all day for long hours, might experience this kind of symptom.

Double vision

It is a serious symptom to consider and when one experiences this symptom, he or she must have to consult a physician as soon as possible.

Light sensitivity

This kind of symptoms is due to the dark display background screen. When a person works in front of the computer daily without proper lighting, he or she will experience such symptom.

Computer Vision Syndrome Causes & Risk Factors

The symptoms mentioned may be due to the following causes:

1. Glare on computer screen
2. Staring
3. Uncorrected visual problems
4. Improper viewing distance
5. Poor lighting
6. Poor seating posture
7. Low contrast
8. Prolong usage of computer
9. Backlit screens
10. Extended computer usage
11. Improper distance or viewing angle
12. Reduced eye movements

Computer Vision Syndrome Diagnosis

Persons having computer vision syndrome will be diagnosed by the ophthalmologist. He or she will undergo a series of comprehensive eye examination. Such examination may include the following:

Patient History

This is the first thing that the eye specialist physician will do. He or she will have to ask the patient on the symptoms that he or she experiences and determines any presence of general health problems, environmental factors and medications that the patient takes because it may be the causative factor that leads to the symptoms manifested by the patient himself or herself.

Visual Acuity Measurements

It is done to assess the extent of the visual problem.

Refraction

It is done to know the necessary power lens that is needed to compensate for the refractive errors such as astigmatism, farsightedness or nearsightedness

Testing the eye movement

What the eye specialist physician does is that he or she lets the patient view a single image and he or she will observe the patient’s eye movement if it functions normally or work in unison.

Computer Vision Syndrome Treatment

There are two things you need to remember with regards to computer vision syndrome treatment that is the appropriate way to view the computer and eye care.

View the Computer

Most people nowadays work in front of the computer primarily because it is part of their work setting. Hence, avoiding the computer usage can’t be the prior option. Thus, it is important when you are going to work in a day to day basis, in front of the computer, the things you should do in order to treat your symptoms and prevent any further recurring symptoms to manifest. Such of the things you need to remember are as follows:

Lighting

You need to position the computer screen from overhead lighting or with the use of windows. You can use drapes or blinds on the windows and change the desk lamp’s light bulbs with that of bulbs having lower wattage or that offers daylight feeling.

Location of the computer screen

Ideally the computer screen should be below eye level of approximately 15-20 degrees or 4-5 inches from the center of the screen and from the eyes having 20 to 28 inches.

Reference materials

You need to make sure that what you are working on should be located below the monitor and above the keyboard. You can also use a document holder and place it beside the computer monitor screen. This is ideal so as not to strain your neck.

Anti glare screens

You can use screen glare filtering which will reduce the light that is reflected from the computer screen if, however, there is no other way to decrease the glare from computer light source.

Seating position

In preventing backaches, you need to sit on a chair that is padded comfortably and that conforms to your body. Also, you need to adjust the chair height in order to make your feet flat on the floor. You also need to make sure that your wrists don’t rest on the keyboard when you are typing. Also, arm chairs are needed to give support to the arms whenever you are typing.

Blinking

In minimizing dry eye syndrome, it is advisable that you blink frequently. Blinking will keep the eyes moist.

Rest breaks

In eye strains, the only treatment is having rest period breaks. You can have 20 seconds rest period breaks.

Eye Care

For some people, doing the computer view, which was mentioned above, doesn’t effectively work, they need to consult their physician who has is an eye specialist so as to do acts pertaining to the eye care, such as:

Eyeglasses or Contac t Lenses

What eye specialist physician does usually optician will prescribe the kind of lenses or glasses that is suited for you.

Vision Therapy or Visual Training

It is a therapy that trains the brain and the eyes to work effectively together.

Computer Vision Syndrome Prevention

In preventing the computer vision syndrome, one must do the following:

1. Reduce environmental glare such as painting the walls darker or wearing glasses that have anti reflective coating or installing an anti glare computer screen monitor.
2. Adjusting text color and size to provide relief and prevent eye strain.
3. Take a break advisably around 15 minutes break.
4. Clean your screen to prevent any difficulty in reading.
5. Proper positioning by keeping your distance from the computer monitor.
6. Get computer glasses while working for the computer.
7. Seek alternative help from eye specialist.
8. Be an advocate by asking out your company if they provide vision care insurances or if they don’t you can suggest that they have one.