PREVENT COMPUTER VISSION SYNDROME

 

After staring at a monitor for hours on end, have your eyes ever felt dry, itchy or irritated? Has your vision become blurry, or have you even seen double? Has your head begun to pound because of all the squinting and straining?

Annoying eye problems like these call for eye drops -- or maybe for dropping your computer off a cliff. But are your PCs really to blame for our eyestrain?

Answer: Computer use can definitely strain your eyes -- but there are ways to combat the damage Studies have shown that between 50 and 90% of people who work in front of a computer screen have some signs of eye problems

Hours upon hours of close focusing without taking a break is usually the main culprit for a lot of people who complain of eyestrain,

The problem is so common, there's even a name for it: Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).

For ideal situations, people usually blink around 18 times per minute, which refreshes the eyes naturally. But blink rates are reduced when staring at a computer screen or other digital devices, and this can make your eyes burn, dry out, turn red or feel itchy. Sitting too close to your computer monitor, or holding a digital device closer to your eyes than you would normally hold a book or newspaper, also poses a problem, according research.This forces your eyes to work harder than usual as you strain to focus on tiny font sizes.

Common symptoms of eyestrain and/or CVS include: sore eyes, dry eyes, teary eyes, blurry vision, double vision, light sensitivity, difficulty focusing on images, neck pain, headache or a combination of all of the above.

HOW DO WE PREVENT CVS?

Instead of turning a blind eye to the damage computers cause to your eyes, there are quick and easy steps you can take to reduce eyestrain triggers. Jeffrey Anshel, founder of Corporate Vision Counseling and author of the Visual Ergonomics Handbook, suggests first lowering your monitor.

Because conventional reading is normally done with the book or magazine held in a lowered position, having your monitor in a straight-ahead position is unnatural. "The top of the screen should be level with the eyes of the user, allowing for a slightly lowered viewing angle" he says.

Secondly,reduce glare by angling the monitor so that you can see no reflections of any lights on the front surface of the monitor. The preferred viewing distance is between 20 and 40 inches from the eye to the front surface of the computer screen.

Thirdly, three Bs approach, Blink, Breathe and Break is advised.While staring at a monitor, remember to blink often to moisten and refresh your eyes. Correct breathing can relax the eye muscles, so be conscious of your breathing usually during stressful moments, when people tend to hold their breath.

Also because computer work requires intense concentration, frequent breaks are a must. "Our eyes are not designed to be used at that close distance for a long period of time," he says. "Remember the 20-20-20 rule:Every 20 minutes,take 20seconds and look 20feet away."

Making these minor adjustment can result in reduced strain on the eyes.

Nonetheless,there is no one solution to all types of problems encountered with computer use,but with a little research, the answer to many of these problems may be right before your eyes.

Info source:upwave.com.