Working on a computer all day? – How to Avoid Computer Eye Strain

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by Andrea Hudson

Twitter: @AndreaHudson75

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It is inevitable that computers make our jobs easier and more efficient, but on the other side they can affect our health. According to experts 70 to 75% of those who use computers have vision problems. This condition is called ”computer vision syndrome”. Sitting at the computer for more than three hours a day is enough to develop the computer vision syndrome.

In fact, there is no evidence that the use of computers leads to permanent eye damage; these symptoms can be a major problem.

Visual disturbances

The computer vision syndrome can occur with various kinds of symptoms like the focus difficulty, color perception changes, sensitivity to light and text flickering effect. It is often accompanied with the feeling of dryness, redness, itching, burning, excessive secretion of tears and the feeling of heaviness in the eyelids.

Preventive measures

There are things that you can do in order to alleviate or eliminate problems caused by working too long on the computer.

-Adjust the monitor brightness to the intensity that appeals to your eyes.

-Restrict the time you spend working on your computer.

-Take a break by looking into the distance for 20 seconds after 20 minutes of work.

-Use special filter for glasses or screens that will help reduce the glare.

-By wearing special glasses designed for the computer you will reduce the eyestrain. You can also find prescription eyeglasses if necessary. These glasses are determined by your ophthalmologist and it is desirable to have the anti-reflective layer.

Pay a visit to your ophthalmologist

Tell your ophthalmologist about any eye difficulties or any other eye problems that you have. Maybe you need glasses or contact lenses to correct your vision and make your job a lot easier. Glasses can be:

-Monofocal glasses can provide you a good sight on a single fixed distance up to 35 cm.

-Multifocal glasses can provide a good vision for distant and near objects as well as the intermediate distance which is recommended for computer jobs.

-Bifocal glasses provide a good vision for distant and close objects up to 35 cm, but these glasses require your head to be tilted backwards when using a computer which can create discomfort and therefore they are not recommended for the use of the computer.

-Glasses can be darkened (photosensitive) with the anti-reflective coating, which can help you increase the perception of contrast, filter the glare and reflect the light. This will reduce any discomfort while you sit by the computer.

Eye surgery

A lot of people today are considering laser eye surgery in order to improve their vision. Any person who has a dioptre between -10 and +4 is probably a suitable candidate for Lasik eye surgery. However, you will need to consult with your ophthalmologist in order to prevent any contraindications. Persons over 45 will probably need glasses for near reading after the improvement of distance vision with this method.

There are a lot of benefits of Lasik surgery:

-Lasik surgery will is constantly improving its methods for removing refractive errors.

-It takes less time to recover after the surgery.

-You will have minimal temporary side effects.

-There are no injections and no stitches.

-You will quickly regain a clear vision.

The percentage of minor complications after the surgery is 0.5-1.0% while severe complications are under 0.02%.

Lasik surgery is good for eliminating the risks associated with the longer use of contact lens. This surgery can improve your ability to work certain jobs that require a good eyesight. A lot of people have increased their confidence and comfort with this method. The surgery is recommended for people that want to have more freedom during their everyday activities, particularly water related sports and sport out on the open.

With the proper selection of computer equipment and by choosing a comfortable body position in relation to the screen you can reduce some of the symptoms. Proper rest is important as much as wearing the right pair of glasses to eliminate any symptoms of the computer vision syndrome.

It is recommended that you check your vision at least once a year. In case an of these symptoms occur, it is best to contact your ophthalmologist immediately.