eyeODTM    

Computer Vision

According to the U.S. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, 88% of people who work with computers suffer from eyestrain, eye fatigue, and/or glare-related headaches.. Computer viewing creates a tremendous amount of strain on your eye muscles and overall feeling of well-being, yet it is impossible to avoid using computers as we  have become so dependent on computers at work and home for e-mail, internet access, research and etc. While these discomforts could be related to the physical health of your eyes, you may be suffering from Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).

 As computer usage has increased, so have related vision problems. One reason is because your eyes need to work harder to focus on the computer screen for  prolonged periods. Computers are more visually demanding than printed material because the image on a monitor is many times more dynamic and not stable like printed text in a book. Therefore, your eye muscles must constantly adjust to keep the screen in focus. Because of this intense visual demand, even low amounts of uncorrected astigmatism or farsightedness make your eye muscles work harder. Studies have shown that prescription glasses, designed specifically for
computer use, will decrease eyestrain and physical fatigue, and improve productivity.  

Muscles that control eye movement and eye coordination, also get a workout at the computer as you scan the screen or surf the web for hours. Inefficient eye tracking can make it difficult for you to analyze spreadsheets and keep your eyes on the lines of text.  Poor eye coordination can slow you down while reading the screen. Eyes that tend to drift apart create symptoms such as eyestrain, intermittent double images and headaches.  

Another cause of computer-related eyestrain is dry eyes. We tend to blink less frequently while concentrating which diminishes eye lubrication. Dry eye symptoms include burning, itching, intermittent blur, or a "heavy eyes" sensation. This can usually be improved by using artificial tears, a humidifier,  nutritional supplements to increase tear production or punctal occlusion using punctal plugs.  

If you or your employees spend an hour or more each day using a  computer, having the fastest computer and latest hardware is not enough. An up-to-date computer prescription, and correctly balanced eye muscles, are necessary to optimize your visual comfort and efficiency.  For a complete analysis of what kind of computer glasses are best for you, please visit our office for a complete evaluation and fitting.

For computer-related eyestrain, eye fatigue and glare-related headaches we recommend the 3M Computer Filter (www.3m.com/cws) with 100% EMR absorption  which is approved by the American Optometric Association.

Computer User's Comfort and Productivity Checklist 

In summary, what can you do?