Computer Vision Syndrome is the most common form of eye strain that computers can cause. According to the American Optometric Association, CVS is a complex eye and vision problem associated to near work that are most often experienced due to excessive and improper use of computers.
Symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome: Symptoms include eyestrain, blurred vision, headaches and shoulder or neck pain.
Fortunately, few basic changes of your way of using computer discussed below can scientifically reduce these symptoms.
Place Your Monitor Properly: The most effective and easiest way to avoid discomfited eye or head movements can be eliminated by repositioning your computer monitor. The distance should be 18 to 28 inches and placed squarely in front of you with the monitor-top leveled with your eyes. Also, you may have to regulate the angle of the monitor to keep your eyes in a natural, slightly down and straight ahead position. 10 to 20 degrees below the eye level is the perfect viewing angle. Moreover, attach the copy you are working with on a document holder at identical level of the computer screen.
Glare Care: Harsh reflections and glares can be eliminated by modifying the lighting of your office. Find out first the source of glare; see if it is the task light, the window or the computer display itself. Firstly, adjust curtains or blinds to minimize sunlight. The overhead lights should be turned down to balance the brightness of the surrounding room and the screen. Don't make it too dark since the contrast between lack of background light and computer-generated light cay cause eye strains. Position your task lights to provide light directly for reading and other office tasks; don't let it shine directly on the monitor. Use a hood or a monitor glare screen and use larger font size since legibility of display is a vital factor in viewing performance. Finally, keep your screen clean, a dirty and dusty screen can cause eye fatigue too.
Take a Break: Take a break for around 10 minutes at least once an hour and blink frequently. Excessive computer use may also cause an enhanced rate of tear evaporation; in that case, grab some artificial tears from your nearest drugstore to relieve dry and itchy eyes.
Special Eye Care: While arranging the work stations, seniors should take special care since American Optometric Association found that workers above 50 years of age need twice the light than young adults for relaxed work. Parents should keep track about their child's duration of using computer since the workstation may have positioned suitable for adults and such position may be harmful for kids.
Finally, don't squint and strain to see your computer monitor since this can lead to several eye related problems such as fatigue, dry eyes, headaches and prolonged vision problems.
