Staring at a computer screen for more than two hours a day can cause computer vision syndrome (CVS), which includes symptoms such as blurred vision, dry eyes, headaches, and neck tension. The difference between images on a computer screen and in the real world causes the eyes to struggle to maintain focus, leading to fatigue and CVS. Optometrists can offer machine vision tests and prescribe computer glasses to combat CVS. Upgrading to an LCD or flat panel display and using anti-glare screens and UV blocking filters can also help. CVS affects an estimated 125 million Americans.
Some experts believe that anyone who stares at a computer screen for more than two hours a day has probably experienced computer vision syndrome (CVS) to some degree. Blurred vision, itchy dry eyes, headaches and neck tension are just a few of the symptoms, according to the American Optometric Association. The problem lies in the difference between images on a computer screen and images in the real world. The human eye is designed to focus on real-world objects, which by nature have clearly defined boundaries. Even printing on one page, for example, shows sharp edges and high contrast that extends to the edges of the letters.
In contrast, a computer screen creates letters by grouping colored dots or pixels tightly together. Zooming in on a computerized letter will reveal that rounded or curved edges are not smooth and solid, but jagged and indistinct. For this reason the eyes have more difficulty maintaining focus on a computer screen and involuntarily drift towards what is called the “rest point of accommodation”. You might equate this to “going into a daze” or “staring at nothing,” but on the computer it happens briefly and repeatedly as the eyes struggle to regain better focus. The effort becomes greater as more hours pass, leading to fatigue and CVS.
Many of the other symptoms of CVS are byproducts of this tendency to try to focus better on computerized letters. When your eyes struggle to focus, they have a tendency to blink less, which results in dryness and itchiness. Burning, watery eyes, headache and sensitivity to light are other symptoms of CVS. Two other contributing factors to CVS are glare and, if you are using a cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor, ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Experts now believe that glare and overexposure to UV rays can contribute to cataracts as we age.
Fortunately, there are steps everyone can take to combat CVS. Many optometrists today offer machine vision tests. This can also help people who lack correct vision. If you suffer from CVS, this test will let you know if you will benefit from a simple enlargement or a light prescription. Proprietary computer glasses can relieve much of the fatigue of CVS.
It’s important to note that computers are at a distance that reading glasses and bifocals shouldn’t correct, as reading material is held closer together. The display also sits higher than the reading material held in the hands, making it difficult to use bifocals without tilting the head back, creating shoulder and neck strain. By testing for computer vision, your optometrist can give you the perfect prescription for using your computer to reduce CVS symptoms. When the display comes into focus more clearly, your eye muscles won’t have to work as hard.
Computer glasses, whether they contain a prescription or not, can also be polarized to eliminate glare. If you use a CRT monitor, consider upgrading to an LCD or flat panel display. These displays do not emit UV radiation. If you must use a CRT monitor, include UV blocking filters in your computer glasses.
Aftermarket display filter screens can also help reduce CVS symptoms by reducing glare and improving contrast. However, the anti-glare matte finish screen has the effect of dulling the screen by scattering light onto the textured surface. A smooth anti-glare screen that uses a chemical coating to reduce glare reduces glare, yet maintains a sharper image. This kind of anti-glare computer screen, together with anti-glare computer glasses, could achieve the best result. Filter screens intended for use with CRT monitors can also block a good portion of UV rays.
By some estimates, CVS affects an estimated 125 million Americans. As more people spend more hours on the computer, computer glasses could become as common as sunglasses. If they provide relief from CVS, they’re an investment worth making.
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