Computer Vision Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms and Prevention

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Health desk- If you’re reading this, chances are high that you have a job that involves spending time staring at a computer or phone screen. As the world becomes increasingly digital, more and more of us spend our working days looking at screens. And even if our work doesn’t involve computers, we look at screens for entertainment. Since the start of online studies, children are also spending their time on screens all the time.

Computer Vision Syndrome Causes, Symptoms and Prevention
Computer Vision Syndrome Causes, Symptoms and Prevention

We have previously written about how to protect children’s eyes while studying online. In this blog post, we’re going to take a look at Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) in general. We will see how it happens, what the symptoms are and how you can prevent it.

What is Computer Vision Syndrome?

Think about carpal tunnel syndrome – a repetitive motion injury that happens to your hands when they’re typing all the time. Computer vision syndrome is similar, but it happens to your eyes when they keep doing the same repetitive movements all the time. On an average workday, your eyes are focusing and refocusing all the time. This can happen while reading, watching, or interacting with your computer screen.

To compound the problem, computer screens are bright and may have glare or flicker. Studies have also shown that people blink less when they are using their computer screens, which can lead to dry eyes and blurred vision. All of this puts a lot of stress on the eye muscles and over time, this stress can become too much and your eyes can start to hurt. In a nutshell, that’s what Computer Vision Syndrome is.

Problems become worse if you need to wear glasses but you don’t wear them, or if you have the wrong prescription. And so, it becomes important to recognize the symptoms of CVS early on, or even better, take steps to prevent it altogether.

What are the symptoms of computer vision syndrome?

Although prolonged computer use will not cause immediate permanent damage to your eyes, the symptoms will appear one by one. And so, it is good to be aware of them and take immediate action. Some common symptoms of computer vision syndrome are:

Blurred vision
Eye irritation
Dry, red eyes
Irritated eyes
Headache
If ignored, these symptoms will cause more problems in the long run.

How to Prevent Computer Vision Syndrome?

This leads us to the most important question. How to Prevent Computer Vision Syndrome? Here are some simple steps you can take to prevent or reduce CVS symptoms so they don’t get worse.

1 .Go anti-glare: Opt for an anti-glare screen on your laptop or desktop or an anti-glare coating on your glasses. If this is not possible, adjust the lighting in the room so that there is no glare on the computer screen – a dimmer switch can help with this. Consider drawing curtains on the windows or relocating your workplace so that light does not fall directly on your screen. You can also change your monitor’s brightness and contrast settings to reduce glare.

2 .Adjust the screen: Move your screen or monitor so that it is about 20 to 28 inches away from your face and slightly below your eye level. Make sure you don’t have to strain your neck to see what’s on the screen.

3 .20-20-20 Rule: The 20-20-20 rule says – Every 20 minutes, look away from your screen for 20 seconds at an object that is at least 20 feet away. Keep your eyes moist by blinking regularly and if your eyes feel dry, add some eye drops.
You can find more tips for reducing eye strain by doing research, but taking the three steps above can help you in a significant way. Additionally, it is recommended that you visit your eye doctor regularly to get your eyes checked. If you wear prescription glasses, make sure you’re wearing the right prescription glasses for work.

A stitch in time saves nine. If you experience one or more symptoms of computer vision syndrome, take immediate action and get your eyes checked to see if there is a problem. Additionally, taking the steps mentioned above to ensure that your eyes are free from strain can go a long way in ensuring that you can work comfortably for many years to come.

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I am an Ayurveda doctor and treat diseases like paralysis, sciatica, arthritis, bloody and profuse piles, skin diseases, secretory diseases etc. by herbs (Ayurveda) juices, ashes.

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