Eyes.com

Eye Care and Eye Surgery Blog

Archive for the ‘Computer Vision Syndrome’ Category

Eye Strain: A Growing Trend

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011

Every day, we rely on screen-based technology – such as cell phones, computers, GPS devices, and more – to accomplish basic tasks and keep us connected. Unfortunately, the constant use of technology has put an immense amount of strain on our eyes, especially those of us who work desk jobs that require us to stare at a computer screen for several consecutive hours.

Eye strain that results from computer use is termed computer vision syndrome. However, eye strain can also be caused by other repeated activities, such as performing tasks in dim lightning, focusing on written words for too long, or failing to blink often enough. A good way of preventing eye strain when using a computer or performing visually intensive work is to perform eye exercises.

Some symptoms of eye strain include:

• Blurred vision
• Headaches
• Dry or burning eyes
• Sore back and neck muscles
• Soreness around the eyes

Eye strain can affect more than just your vision; it also leads to a general feeling of exhaustion, enhancing irritability and making it difficult for you to concentrate. If regular eye exercises are not effectively reducing your symptoms, consider having an eye exam performed by an experienced ophthalmologist to detect other potential causes, such as refractive error. Glasses, contacts, or eye drops may be an effective way of treating the underlying problem.

If you believe you may be suffering from excessive eye strain, contact an experienced eye doctor in your area today to schedule a consultation.

Posted in Computer Vision Syndrome, Diseases and Conditions, Eye Safety, Refractive Errors | Comments Off

Electronic Eye Strain Fixes

Thursday, January 20th, 2011

It may be a sad fact that nearly every single working adult who sits in a cubicle all day is staring at a computer screen. Then there are the iPads, Kindles, smart phones, television, gaming systems, and more that people look at while they’re at home. The result is the ubiquitous question of how to avoid eye strain due to electronic devices. And this is a complaint that is on the rise across the nation.

According to many ophthalmologists, the answers to solving the problem are fairly easy: start blinking. The reason for this is eye strain invariably begins with dry eyes. When you stare at the computer screen, your rate of blinking goes down. An ophthalmologist in private practice at Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver has likened this to a dirty windshield. When you blink, it’s like turning on the wipers.

Another thing people can do to avoid eye strain is to increase the size of the text on the computer. “Bigger is always better,” says the eye doctor at Porter.

One thing many eye doctors will say is that “eyestrain” is a nonmedical term and can mean whatever you want it to. As a result, telling your eye doctor about strain doesn’t really help.  They will tell you that all these electronic devices we’ve surrounded ourselves with are not necessarily hurting us. It’s how we react to them.

More advice from the doctors includes using eye drops, taking breaks to get away from the screen, and adjusting the length of time you use these devices to avoid feeling fatigued. One thing some hardcore gamers have discovered, and others are adopting, is the use of yellow tinted glasses. This reportedly cuts down on glare and fatigue.

If you have questions about eye strain, please contact eyes.com to find an experienced eye doctor in your area today.

Posted in Computer Vision Syndrome, Dry Eyes | Comments Off

Do You Suffer from Computer Vision Syndrome?

Friday, November 19th, 2010

If you spend the majority of your work day sitting at a computer, you may be doing considerable damage to your eyes. The American Optometric Association estimates that more than 70% of the 143 million Americans working at computers suffer from a condition called computer vision syndrome.

Viewing characters on a computer screen is much different than viewing them on a printed page. The contrast between these characters is much less stark on a computer screen, placing a significant strain on your eyes as they read the text on your monitor. The fatigue and eye strain caused by viewing computer text will eventually damage your eyes if it continues for a prolonged period of time.

All it takes is about 2 hours a day in front of a computer screen to be at risk of developing computer vision syndrome. Many Americans spend between 8-10 hours a day in front of computers. Clearly, this is a serious risk that must be addressed if you work on a computer all day.

Common symptoms of computer vision syndrome include:

• Headaches
• Loss of focus
• Burning eyes
• Tired eyes
• Double vision
• Blurry vision
• Neck and shoulder pain

You can take several steps to reduce the strain on your eyes while sitting at a computer:

• Use lower intensity lighting
• Ask your employer to provide you with an anti-glare screen on your computer
• Use an LCD screen instead of a tube-style monitor
• Adjust the monitor settings to make the contrast between the background and foreground characters as high as possible
• Blink regularly
• Every 20 minutes, take a break from your screen, looking away and staring at a distant object for a minimum of 20 seconds

It is also a good idea to visit your ophthalmologist once a year for an eye exam to make sure that your prolonged computer use has not affected your vision.

Posted in Computer Vision Syndrome | Comments Off