Computer vision syndrome is the most common health complaint in the workplace, caused by the tendency of the eyes to refocus each time the pixels on a screen change. Detailed information on the most common symptoms and practical prevention options.
What is computer vision syndrome?
Do you have tired or sore eyes? Headaches? Blurred vision? And general fatigue? If so, you may be suffering, like millions of people, from a problem known as computer vision syndrome, or CVS. CVS is the number one workplace health complaint and it affects everyone who works with a computer.
Your computer screen projects images using tiny pixels. Although you are probably not aware of it, these pixels are constantly changing, and your eyes must refocus with every change. This constant adjustment can strain your eyes. Your vision may begin to appear distorted or blurry.
Symptoms and prevention options
Your eyes may have difficulty focusing. In many cases, you may develop headaches, neck pain, and back pain. However, there are ways to help with CVS. One of those options is to wear computer glasses. These glasses reduce glare on the computer screen, allowing the eyes to focus more easily.
Other ways to prevent CVS symptoms include setting up your workstation so that it is easy to look at the computer screen, which should be directly in front of you, approximately 24 inches from your eyes, and out of direct sunlight. You can also use a desk lamp to create more focused lighting at your workstation. For more information on computer vision syndrome, speak with your doctor.
Contact lens wearers and greater risk
Researchers found 114 studies written in English or Spanish and published between 2003 and 2013 that referenced both contact lenses and computer use. They selected six studies for their final analysis.
All six showed that contact lens wearers were more likely to have computer vision syndrome symptoms than people who wore glasses only or did not require corrective lenses. The prevalence of symptoms ranged from 17 to 95 percent among contact lens wearers and from 10 to 58 percent among non-wearers. Contact lens wearers were also four times more likely to experience dry eyes during or after computer use, compared to non-wearers.
Silicone hydrogel contact lenses were associated with greater comfort among computer users than regular soft lenses.
The study authors concluded that contact lens wearers experience more discomfort and visual disturbances while using a computer than non-wearers. However, they also noted that, due to the small number of studies included in their analysis and the unclear nature of some findings, more research is needed to determine which type of contact lens is best for computer users and how lenses should be worn.
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