Computer vision syndrome. Does it bother you too?

Excessive use of work computers, personal laptops or smartphones. That is one way to describe today's digital age, which strongly affects our everyday lives. But not only that. Our eyes suffer the most, as they are affected by so-called computer vision syndrome.

Reading the pages of a book is not the same as reading text on a monitor, especially if there are various reflections or glare on the screen, or if low sharpness or contrast is set. Not to mention that monitors emit so-called blue light, which our eyes are not naturally used to. If we add long hours at the computer and incorrect sitting, various health problems can arise, including computer vision syndrome (CVS).

Symptoms

CVS is characterised above all by eye pain, a feeling of fatigue, burning or watering, or conversely a feeling of dry or irritated eyes, and overall strain of the eye muscles. Blurred or double vision or sensitivity to light often appear as well. In many cases there is also pain in the head, cervical spine or shoulders, which results from long and incorrect sitting.

Interestingly, most of these symptoms usually disappear gradually after you stop working at the computer. Some symptoms persist, however, for example blurred distance vision, which is often related to developing short-sightedness.

None of these symptoms should be underestimated, especially if they last for a longer time. It is therefore recommended that you have a thorough eye examination if you notice anything out of the ordinary.

Prevention

Working hours are what they are, so if you have to spend eight or more hours at the computer, there is nothing you can do about it. In the fight against CVS, however, you can adjust some things. Start by setting the right brightness and contrast. Every good IT person in the company knows the optimal values, so ask them for help. And if you wear glasses, invest in so-called computer lenses, which let through much less harmful blue light. At the same time, you should also check that your monitor is at a sufficient distance; the recommended value is 45 – 50 centimetres.

When writing text documents, make sure you work mainly with black text on a white background, because this combination suits our eyes best. The font size is also important. Everyone's eyesight is in a different condition, but it is certainly not a good idea to force yourself to read tiny print, as this only strains your eyes unnecessarily. So adjust the text size to your individual needs.

Your employer should also do some things for you. For example, make sure that the workplace does not have light that is too harsh or so-called cold light, because it does not suit the human eye. Ergonomic chairs and desks are also available on the market, which can likewise improve your comfort and health. And last but not least, even a small thing such as the right mouse pad can help, as it is an effective prevention of carpal tunnel syndrome.

A fitness minute

Although it may not seem so at first glance, our comfort at work affects not only our body, but also the physical condition of our eyes. A short break, which you should take regularly every hour, helps them a lot. The eye "fitness minute" should consist of turning away from your monitor, blinking a few times to moisten your eyes, then focusing on a more distant object and, so to speak, "rolling your eyes", i.e. following it with circular movements. So that you do not forget in the heat of work, set a quiet alarm for every hour. Ignore your colleagues' looks – you are doing it for your eyesight.

Do not underestimate prevention or eye exercises, because long hours at the computer really do worsen people's eyesight. Fortunately, medicine is moving forward and eye surgery can effectively solve or correct many complications. But every eye doctor will tell you that it is always better to take measures in advance than when problems have already started.