My Computer’s so Bright I’ve gotta Wear Shades

When I sat down to work at my computer two days ago I got a horrible scare. No matter how hard I tried I could not focus on the information on the screen, literally. My eyes could not make the markings clear even as when I zoomed in to a ridiculous font size.

I knew the prescription for my glasses was well over due but this was different. It wasn’t a smudged or scratched lens yet it came on quite suddenly without any warning. Well, nothing that I noticed at the time.

Needless to say, I totally freaked out. As a web developer and graphic designer I depend on my eyesight to make a living. I would be in big trouble if I couldn’t tell whether an image was in focus or not. Truth be told, I may have over inflated the situation in my mind a little bit and even started crying a little bit.

Tears couldn’t even help clear up my vision and I was worried about how I would meet my deadlines. So I went to sit on the porch, sip my cup of coffee and stare off into nothingness for a while. Belive it or not, that worked.

The problem I was having is technically known as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) and it’s happening more and more to working professionals, avid gamers and Smartphone junkies. Dr Ajay Sharma from EyeQ Hospital said, "One out of every two city residents are suffering from computer vision syndrome which means a variety of vision related symptoms that may develop or be aggravated by the use of computers for two or more hours a day. According to a US study done on computer users, 85 per cent of the computer users suffer from eyestrain."

CVS symptoms include:

• Blurred vision
• Headaches
• Discomfort, pain or itching in the eyes
• Watery eyes
• Double vision
• Dry eyes
• Red eyes
• Feeling tired

People who work in the technology field stare at screens at least 4 times that long so they are at greater risk of experiencing Computer Vision Syndrome. "Pixels in a computer are brightest at the centre and become dim towards the edges. Due to this, the ciliary muscles of the eyes constantly adjust in order to maintain focus on the images. The computer can make the eyes focus nearly 25000 times in a single day. As a result, the eye muscles work nearly three times harder and their blinking reduces by almost 70 percent. Reduced blinking causes tears to evaporate faster; and the resultant condition is dry, itchy eyes," informs Dr Ajay Sharma.

It’s important to recognize and react to CVS before any lasting damage is done to your eyes or your day. The CBS 5 Affiliate in Southern California suggests these tips to help reduce eye strain in the office and at home:

• Blink more
• Break for 20 seconds after every 20 minutes and try to look 20 feet away
• Breathe deeply to keep oxygen flowing to the eyes
• Include Vitamins A, C and E in your daily routine for better overall eye health

Dr Ajay Sharma recommends, "One can take care of the environmental factor contributing to computer vision syndrome like improper contrast and resolution of the display, improper adjustability of workstation, inadequate or improper room lighting and sustained viewing of the computer screen."

For excessive computer users like me, that might not be enough. It’s time to talk to an optometrist about a acquiring a pair of computer glasses. These special specs shield your eyes from harmful computer light and significantly reduce eye strain and the distracting symptoms that come with CVS.

Image Courtesy of ThinkGeek