COMPUTER USE AND EYES

Instead of starring on the silver screen, or slugging home runs out of Fenway Park, a great number of people spend the majority of their workday in front of a computer screen. By one estimate, nearly 90 percent of those people working at a video display terminal (VDT) experienced some form of vision problem as a result.

How do you tell if your symptoms are related to your computer use?

VDT-related symptoms occur some time after you start work. As the workday progresses, your symptoms will become more acute. What are the symptoms that are related to computer use?

·                                 Difficulty focusing after working at a computer, with blurry or double vision

·                                 Eyestrain or eye fatigue

·                                 Headaches or backaches

·                                 Dry and/or irritated eyes

·                                 Neck stiffness or discomfort

·                                 After-images when looking away from the screen

·                                 Sensitivity to lighting

·                                 Muscle spasms

Are there environmental factors that could affect your symptoms?

·                                 Bright lights in your peripheral field of vision could add to discomfort or reduced visual performance.

·                                 Reflected light on your computer screen can decrease the contrast of screen characters and possibly force you to assume an awkward position to see around the glare.

·                                 The location of your screen could cause awkward positioning.

To determine the cause of your symptoms, you should visit your eye care professional. Before going to your appointment, however, take note of the environment in which your symptoms occur and at what times they are greatest. This will aid your doctor greatly in the diagnosis.

If computer eyestrain is the diagnosis, there are simple methods to ease the discomfort:

·                                 don't focus on a single object for a prolonged period of time;

·                                 improve the lighting around your monitor;

·                                 blink often;

·                                 frequently close your eyes, then look far into the distance (down a hallway or out a window) every 15-20 minutes to relax them;

·                                 sit at least 18-28 inches away from the screen;

·                                 tilt the monitor slightly below eye level; and

·                                 keep your screen dust-free to minimize visual interference.  

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