There are a lot of kids and adults who spend a big part of their day glued to their computers these days, causing computer vision syndrome. Computers are now an important part of all parts of our lives, including work, school, play, and even family time. Indeed, technology has become so important to us that a tablet or smartphone is often one of the first toys a baby plays with these days. It is possible that our increased reliance on technology can hurt our eye health.
Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is the name for vision problems that happen after using a computer for a long time. Most of the time, they are caused by bad posture while sitting, dim lighting, glare from the computer screen, laying too close or too far away from the screen, and eye health problems that have not been fixed. The habit sometimes can be so common, but it ends up ruining your eye health.
These are some of the most common signs of Computer Vision Syndrome:
- Eye strain
- Stiff neck and shoulders
- Dry, red eyes
- Headaches
- Blurred vision
Researchers have not found that CVS does any long-term damage to the eyes, but the pain it causes can make it hard to do things at work and at home. Eye doctors, on the other hand, have found several ways to keep CVS from affecting people who use computers. They might hurt more than just your eyes if you don’t do anything about them. There may also be problems with how well you do your job.
How Can Computer Vision Syndrome Be Avoided?
Changing just a few things about your workspace can help reduce your symptoms and prevent the onset of new issues:
1. Cut the glare
To lessen the effect on your computer screen, change the lighting in the room. If light from a window nearby makes your screen glare, move it and close the blinds. If the lights above you are too bright, ask your boss to add a dimmer switch or buy a desk lamp with a shade that can be moved and spread light evenly across your desk. You can also give your screen a glare filter.
2. Rearrange your desk
Place your monitor 20 to 28 inches away from your face, just below eye level. To see what is on the screen, you should not have to lift your head or strain your eyes. Support any printed materials you are using with a stand next to your screen. So while you type, you won’t have to look up and down at the desk and back up at the screen.
3. Give your eyes a break
As a rule, do 20/20/20. Remove your eyes from the screen for about 20 seconds every 20 minutes and look at something 20 feet away. Keep your eyes moist by blinking a lot. See if artificial tear eye drops help if they feel dry.
4. Tweak your settings
You don’t have to live with the factory-installed settings if they make you feel bad. You can change the font size, brightness, and contrast until it looks good to you.
Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS): Conclusion
Make regular trips to the eye doctor to get checked out and make sure your prescriptions are still valid. Tell them what’s wrong if you have one. You might need glasses or contacts. Their job is to decide if your regular glasses will work for computer work or if you need a different pair. They may suggest a single lens, a bifocal lens, or tinted lens material to improve contrast and reduce glare.
Check the eyes of your kids too. Make sure that the computers they use are set up in good light and at the right height. Help them remember to look away from the screen often to rest their eyes.