Since computers have become an integral part of most businesses, almost every employee uses some form of computer to perform some, if not all, job duties. With more employees relying on computers, eye strain has become a problem for 50-90% of employees who use these technologies. Symptoms related to eye strain range from: dry eyes, itchy or irritated eyes, muscle twitches in or around the eyes, or for some users, vision disturbances. The Orlando ophthalmology team at Magruder Laser Vision has several suggestions to reducing these symptoms of eye strain while at work.
Lights, Please
If your computer station has improper lighting – either naturally occurring or ambient lighting from outside – your eyes will begin to strain. Repositioning your computer so natural light enters to the side of the screen rather than behind or in front of it can help decrease the amount your eyes must strain while looking at the screen. Interior lighting around computers should typically be half as bright as the amount necessary for the remainder of the office. Switching to lower intensity bulbs can also help to relieve your dry, itchy eyes.
Glaring Mistakes
Glare from computer screens, walls, windows, and even your glasses can make you strain your eyes. Placing an anti-glare screen on the monitor, painting walls with a matte finish, and investing in glasses with anti-reflective coating on the lenses will help you avoid symptoms that come from eye strain.
Display the Best
Older cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitors often cause flickering images, which can cause painful eye strain. Flat-panel liquid crystal display (LCD) screens are easier on the eyes and generally come with anti-reflective screens built in. If you have suffered from computer vision syndrome (CVS) in the past, choosing a higher resolution for your display and a computer screen of 19” or more will be more effective at alleviating your symptoms. Adjusting the display’s brightness to approximately the same as the brightness of your work station, changing text size, and contrasting text with the background will give you ease while reading off of a computer. A white background with black lettering is generally the easiest to read.
Don’t Forget to Blink
Most of the time, while you are staring intently at a computer screen, you’ll forget to blink. Consciously reminding yourself to blink in order to keep your eyes from becoming too dry or fatigued is important. If your eyes are dry, using lubricating eye drops will coat your eyes and help them retain moisture.
Computer vision syndrome (CVS) can cause fatigue, decrease productivity, and increase input errors. It is important to keep your eyes healthy by visiting the Orlando ophthalmology team at Magruder Laser Vision annually and practice the 20-20-20 rule; for every 20 minutes of computer usage, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This alleviates many of the physical eye problems associated with CVS. Contact Magruder Laser Vision at 407-843-5665 if you are experiencing headaches, blurred vision, or any of the other symptoms of CVS.
