Computer glasses and eye strain

computer vision syndrome

 

Do your eyes hurt or burn when looking at a computer screen? Do they tear, or feel tired after hours of computer use? Do you get headaches after staring at a CRT or LCD computer screen? Do you have neck or shoulder pain? If so then you are probably suffering from computer vision syndrome (CVS).  I see many patients who suffer from this condition and have never been offered a comprehensive solution to their problem.

 

The best way to deal with this is to first have a comprehensive ophthalmological exam to rule out eye diseases. Once this is done then the more basic issues can be addressed.

 

Think about the extent and type of your computer use by reviewing the following issues:

 

• If your computer vision use is mostly work related do you feel better on weekends than during the work week? If you feel better on days that you do not work then CVS may be an issue.
• Do you primarily use a laptop or desktop computer? Where is the computer display relative to your eyes?  Is it directly in front of you or do you look down as when using a laptop? Your doctor should know where the display is in order to customize your computer glasses. Measure the distance between your eyes and the computer screen before coming in for customized computer eyeglasses.
• Is your display an old fashioned CRT or an LCD screen? LCD screens are easier on the eyes and usually have an anti-reflective surface. Old-fashioned CRT screens can cause a noticeable “flicker” of images on the screen, a major source of computer eye strain. Even if this flicker is imperceptible, it can still contribute to eye strain and fatigue during computer work. Complications due to flicker are even more likely if the refresh rate of the monitor is less than 75 hertz (Hz). If you must use a CRT at work, adjust the display settings to the highest possible refresh rate.

·        How is the lighting in your computer workspace? Glare is a factor for computer eye strain. It is important to understand that glare can come from various sources, such as reflections off of walls, and not just your computer screen. Several tools can be employed to reduce glare, such as placing an anti-glare screen or a computer hood on your monitor.

• Do you wear bifocals or reading glasses? These are usually not appropriate for computer use. Dedicated specially prescribed computer glasses are necessary if you wear bifocals or progressive lenses, because these lenses are generally not optimal for the distance to your computer screen. Putting the head back to see the screen through bottom of bifocals or progressives is what causes neck and shoulder pain.
• Are your eyes dry? Even if they aren’t dry under normal conditions people tend to blink less frequently when they stare at a computer monitor, so additional lubrication with artificial tear drops is very helpful. The tears coating the eye evaporate more rapidly during long non-blinking phases, which can be especially problematic for contact lens users. Blinking is very important when working at a computer; it rewets your eyes to avoid dryness and irritation.
• A component of computer eye strain is focusing fatigue. To reduce your risk of tiring your eyes by constantly focusing on your screen, look away from your computer every 20 minutes and gaze at a distant object outside or down the hallway. Looking far away relaxes the focusing muscles inside the eye to reduce fatigue. This is especially true for patients under forty (40) years of age.

 

Please go to this link to see how I solved Dr. Simon Rosenberg’s computer related problems http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goWoYXEEKo8

Related Posts

• Senator Barak Obama Has A Head Tilt August 18, 2008 Noah Klein, MD Noah Klein, MD, PC   Senator Barak Obama Has a Right Head Tilt    Watching the Saddleback Church Forum with Pastor Rick Warren interviewing Senator Barack Obama on Saturday August 16, I was struck by the marked and obvious tilting of the Senator’s head......
• Conjunctival Hemorrhage - Blood in the Eye One of the most frequent "emergency" visits in my office is due to a conjunctival hemorrhage. This is what it looks like: /caption] Although this looks dramatic and scary it is quite harmless most of the time especially if not accompanied by any discomfort and without a history of trauma......
• CORNEAL ULCER Eye pain, redness, light sensitivity and decreased vision can be caused by a corneal infection called an ulcer. A corneal ulcer is a collection of white blood cells in the cornea which is sometimes visible as a white dot in the cornea. You can get more information here. If you......
• VIRAL CONJUNCTIVITIS - PINK EYE Dr. Noah Klein Noah Klein, MD, PC August 4, 2009 Red eyes with itching, tearing, clear discharge and a foreign body sensation (feeling of something in the eye) can be caused by a virus. This is called viral conjunctivitis or “pink eye” and can be quite uncomfortable.It may be difficult......
• Ocular Melanoma and Routine Ophthalmoscopy August 6, 2008 Noah Klein, MD Noah Klein, MD, PC   Ocular Melanoma and Routine Ophthalmoscopy   I examined a 50 year old healthy woman today who came in for stronger reading glasses.  Because she had not had a dilated eye exam (ophthalmoscopy) for years I dilated her pupils and......
• EYE PAIN When a patient complains of eye pain asking the right questions often helps determine the cause of the pain. This makes the diagnosis and treatment easier. It is helpful to distinguish between eye pain caused by external factors such as a foreign body on the surface of the eye and......
• Contact Lens Irritation Part 1: Contact Lens Solution Dr. Noah Klein Noah Klein MD, PC Many patients present to my office complaining of eye redness, eye irritation,  and a foreign body sensation (feeling of grit or sand in the eye) when wearing their soft contact lenses. They feel this way even when they try on a brand new pair......

Related Websites

• Shopping For A Notebook PC A Notebook PC, also known as a laptop, is ideal for carrying with you when travelling or allowing you to easily carry your work with you when on the move. Traditionally, though, the...
• Chipping Guide 101 At the club level, a great amount of emphasis is placed on how important it is for you to build a sound swing in golf, but this is a goal that, while very worthwhile, is often unfortunately sought at the expense of the rest of your game, the short game......
• 'Avatar' Deserves Your Money One of the few and repeated criticisms of Peter Jackson's magnificent remake of "King Kong" was about the "long, boring part" in the middle of the movie. That was the part on board the ship that was heading to Kong's island. That was the part where characterizations and motivations and......
• How Accessible Is Your Technology? Many of us depend on the use of computers to do our jobs. We’re much more productive than before they were available, don’t you think? But imagine you’re blind and can’t see the screen or have a mobility impairment that precludes your use of a mouse. For many of us......
• How To Speed Up Your Computer /caption] Old computer just doesn’t go as fast as it used to? Computers grow old and often get bogged down as they grow older, but don’t fear because there are many ways you can help make your computer feel younger. This article will give you a few pointers that will......
• Top Three Computer Problems and Fixes If you’ve ever worked with a computer extensively, you’ve probably experienced every single one of these problems at least once. Computers by nature become outdated and will have to be worked on to fix the common problems that occur during their life cycle. This article will address the three......
• 10 cool new gadgets from CES [/caption] Las Vegas, Nevada -- Three-dimensional televisions, Internet-enabled TVs, touch-screen "tablet" computers, e-book readers and other fun new gadgets were scattered all over the enormous Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. CES, which ended on Sunday, is regarded as one of the best trade shows for spotting new technologies......