Definition of computer syndrome: The eyes are exposed to a lot of fatigue and exhaustion as a result of looking at the computer, mobile phone, and devices for long hours, which leads to computer vision syndrome, as this syndrome affects about 60 million people in the world.
What is computer syndrome?
- Computer vision syndrome (CVS), sometimes called digital eye strain, can result when using computers and other devices with digital screens for long periods of time.
- This can lead to blurred vision or eye irritation, which are symptoms of computer vision syndrome.
- Even if a person uses the screen for only two hours every day, they can still experience this condition.
- In fact, between 50 and 90 percent of people whose work involves computers experience symptoms of digital eye strain.
- This type of eye strain is caused by bright light (or blue light) from the screen and your eyes need to constantly focus and refocus while reading things on the screen.
See also: What is Proteus syndrome and its treatment
إقرأ أيضا:علاج القلق والتوتر والخوف بالاعشاب الـ 5Eye problems and computer syndrome
- Eye problems caused by computer use are included in the title (computer vision syndrome) and are not actually a specific problem, but consist of a wide range of eye pain and fatigue.
- This syndrome is not limited to adults who constantly work on computers, but also to children who use computers in schools, especially in the absence of ideal lighting.
- Computer vision syndrome occurs as a result of repetitive and prolonged use of computers, similar to carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Repeating the same movements for a long time causes severe pressure on these organs.
The problem of computer vision syndrome
- During work hours, the eye needs to focus on certain points on the screen over and over again, such as back and forth eyeball movements while reading, shifting the gaze from the screen to the paper, and then back to the screen.
- All of these movements require great effort on the part of the eye muscles, and what makes matters worse is the presence of colorful sparkles and sparkles from the screen, unlike in the case of books, for example.
- These problems are more noticeable for those who already have eye problems such as nearsightedness and need to wear glasses.
- Using a computer becomes more difficult with age, as the lens of the eye becomes less able to adapt to the light from screens.
- By the age of forty, the eye’s ability to adapt to seeing near objects diminishes, which ophthalmologists call presbyopia.
Anxiety about visual computer syndrome
- If you spend more time in front of a computer screen, you may sometimes worry about your eye health and wonder if your computer screen might be causing your blindness.
- The answer is no. Although constantly staring at computer screens for a long period of time each day, whether for work or leisure, causes long-term vision problems, it does not go beyond the common eye strain known as “the syndrome.”
- Which is widespread, as most computer users suffer from symptoms of eye fatigue such as: blurred vision, headache, dryness, eye redness, irritation, and tired eyes. These symptoms are temporary for most people and disappear when they stop.
- Using a computer for a period of time The American Optometric Association says: “The eye exerts greater effort when reading from a computer screen than when reading a book.”
- Where letters are less precise, these things work together to fatigue the eye muscles and make them work with increased energy.
- Researchers at Iowa State University indicated that these symptoms can appear with the use of a computer for only two hours, as the computer screen poses a greater danger to the eyes than printed pages, because the eye blinks become relatively less, because the blinking process is reduced by a third when we read on screens. .
- Which leads to dry eyes. To avoid symptoms of this “non-serious” disease, experts advise looking away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes while working on the computer, and after two hours of continuous work, you should take a break of no less than 15 hours.
- In addition to taking into account adjusting the lighting intensity and sitting in the correct position.
- In addition, you should pay attention to cleaning the computer screen from dust from time to time, as dust forces the eyes to increase the ability to focus on the screen, which causes fatigue.
- Glasses with anti-glare lenses protect the eyes, and wearing regular glasses is better than contact lenses that cause dry eyes, and they also reduce the effort spent working on the computer.
How does the computer affect vision?
- Computer vision syndrome is similar to carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive motion injuries that can persist at work.
- It is caused by the eyes moving in the same pattern over and over in front of a computer screen, and gets worse with increased screen time.
- When you sit in front of a computer screen, your eyes focus and refocus all the time. As you move back and forth while reading data on the screen.
- Or move by looking between the screen and the keyboard, or focus on successive images on the screen so that the brain can comprehend them.
- All of these tasks require great effort on the part of the eye muscles.
- In addition, the light from computer screens, with its contrast, brightness and reflections, makes matters worse.
- Working with a computer also becomes more difficult with age, as the flexibility of the eye lens decreases.
- Also, at the age of 40, the eye’s ability to focus on near and far objects decreases. The chances of developing these eye problems increase if there are vision or eye problems.
- When not wearing glasses even though necessary, wear the wrong glasses when using the computer.
What are the symptoms and effects of computer vision syndrome?
Computer vision syndrome can have many symptoms, and people with it may not experience all of them at once. The most common are changes to your vision that include:
إقرأ أيضا:مفهوم الخضاب الدموي وانواعه – مقال انظر حولك- Blurred or double vision.
- Eye irritation.
- Red or dry eyes.
- Neck or back pain.
- Headache.
See also: What are the causes of Down syndrome?
Symptoms vary depending on individuals
- The type of symptoms evaluated depends on each individual, especially if they have any previous eye problems, how much time they spend on their computers and if they have any undiagnosed eye problems.
- For example, some people with farsightedness (seeing objects at a distance more clearly than objects near) or astigmatism (a common vision condition that causes blurred vision) may not wear glasses.
- Proper glasses or lenses (if available) for close-up work, so you can inadvertently increase your chances of developing computer vision syndrome.
- Symptoms of computer vision syndrome can become more noticeable as you age, and your ability to focus on objects close to you begins to decline. This is called presbyopia.
- Remarkably, most of these symptoms are only temporary, and once an individual spends enough time away from the computer, they will stop.
- However, for some people, symptoms can persist even after stepping away from the screen, vision may remain blurry and headaches can persist.
- If this is the case, a person should take steps to reduce digital eye strain as much as possible.
Risks of developing computer syndrome
- This syndrome produces vision-related symptoms and problems such as blurred vision, slowness, blinking, and blurry vision at objects, as the frequency of blinking increases from 1 to 5 times as a result of sitting in front of the computer.
- Other eye problems appear, such as redness, dryness, increased tears, sensitivity to light, burning, and general problems.
- Such as headache, insomnia, fatigue, and the appearance of neck pain. The danger lies in the complications related to this condition: headache, fatigue, difficulty seeing, and lack of concentration for a long time on the computer screen.
- Back and shoulder pain, poor vision, and dry eyes, which cause many serious diseases, including blindness.
How can computer vision syndrome be treated?
- There are many things you can do to reduce the effects of computer vision syndrome on your eyes and body, and most of them are simple enough to implement right away.
- Posture is important when sitting for a long period of time at the computer.
- To avoid strain on your eyes and neck, the device should be slightly below eye level and 20 to 28 inches (50 to 71 cm) from your face.
- Consider purchasing a document holder so your papers are at a similar level to your screen.
- Your office should be well lit, but not too bright.
- Natural light is preferred as long as you make sure there is no glare on the screen from a nearby window, as this may cause you to move, causing strain on your eyes.
- A desk lamp can be a good source of light, as it can direct the beam in the right direction you want.
Tips to avoid computer vision syndrome
- The screen must be cleaned of dust from time to time because dust helps raise the focus of the screen, which is extremely stressful for the eyes. In addition, pay attention to means of protection and make sure to close the eyes from time to time because this helps moisturize the eyes and prevent dryness.
- Regarding your computer, using an anti-glare filter (a transparent sheet that is already on your screen) can help reduce the amount of reflections you receive from your screen.
- Another thing you can do is make sure you give your eyes short breaks throughout the day.
- Step away from the screen every 20 minutes, focusing on something about 20 feet away for about 20 seconds.
- Then you need to move away from the screen and look at something else because it helps relax your eye muscles and keep your eyes moist.
- You can also use eye drops or eye sprays to help cool your eyes when they are dry.
Things that contribute to the treatment of computer vision syndrome?
- Artificial drops can be relied upon to moisturize the eyes under the supervision of a specialist, in addition to not exposing the screen to sunlight while working on the computer and reducing the light in the room.
- When you sit in front of the computer for a long time, you should not bend for a long time, because it will cause other pain, the appearance should be sticking to the chair, regulating the rhythm of the chair at a 90 degree angle, and the mouse and keyboard are below the elbow and close to the hand.
- Finally, computer glasses can be a great way to reduce glare and avoid digital eye strain.
- Glasses like Aizen have specialized lenses, which can actually help filter out blue light, so you can continue to look at the screen with less glare in your eyes.
- If none of these help and you still suffer from computer vision syndrome, see an eye doctor.
- Of course, when any of the symptoms appear, such as eye redness, swelling, burning, headache, and lack of sleep, it is necessary to visit an ophthalmologist so that the symptoms do not turn into serious complications that eventually cause double vision and blindness.
- You may have an undiagnosed eye condition that needs treatment or you may need a different prescription for glasses or contact lenses.
Blink your eyes at a higher rate to reduce computer gaze syndrome
- The involuntary blinking movement of the eyelids is very important while working at the computer, because it redistributes the layer of tears in the cornea and conjunctiva, and it occurs at a rate of about 15 times per minute under normal conditions, which avoids the sensation of irritation, burning and dryness.
- With computer work, according to studies, the flicker rate is approximately five times lower than normal due to the intense focus and closer vision on the screen.
- Because the tear film evaporates more quickly during periods when the eyelids are not blinked, this causes dry eyes. Also, the closed office environment with air conditioners is usually dry, which in turn reduces tears and increases the rate of dry eyes.
- If you have a lot of dry eyes, your eye doctor may prescribe replacement tear drops or artificial lubricating tears for you to use during the day.
- In this context, we hope that soothing or tear-replacement eye drops will not be confused with astringent drops that only remove redness from the eye.
- The latter can make your eyes look better from the outside because they capture the small blood capillaries in the conjunctiva, reducing eye redness, but they are not intended to treat dry and irritated eyes.
- But perhaps with poor habituation without prescription, it can lead to increased incidence of dry eyes.
The importance of the location in which you work
- If you need to move your eyes between your computer screen and printed papers while you work, this can strain your eyes.
- You can place your cards in the holder next to your computer screen.
- To operate the case properly, you may need a desktop light fixture for this purpose, but make sure the light does not shine directly into your eyes and does not shine on your computer screen.
- Adjust the work location to the correct extent. You can change the office furniture for furniture that facilitates the placement of the monitor at the appropriate height for the situation around you.
- When the posture around you isn’t right for your work and is causing neck, back and shoulder pain, try following these quick gestures to get into a more comfortable posture.
- Make sure that the screen level is neither high nor low.
- One recommendation taken into consideration is for the screen to be 20 to 26 inches apart and for the center of the screen to be about 4 to 9 inches below your eye level in looking up.
- Or in an additional clear description, the top edge of the screen is at the same level as your eyebrows, so the angle is about 20 degrees.
- Here you may have to raise the screen with an object, such as a book, for example, or raise and lower a chair to the appropriate level.
- If you change your chair position, remember that your arms should be parallel to the floor when typing on the keyboard and that your feet should be resting on the floor or on a footrest.
- Finally, maintain correct sitting posture so that your back is straight, by turning your shoulders back so that you do not remain sitting.
Exercise even while sitting
- Computer users often recommend different exercises to stretch and mobilize joints.
- Anyone who performs work with little physical and motor effort must stand and move around the place and do some exercises for the arms, legs, back, neck and shoulders repeatedly.
See also: Klinefelter syndrome information
إقرأ أيضا:كيفية علاج دوالي الخصية بدون جراحة انظر حولكAt the end of our journey with the definition of computer syndrome, computer screens can certainly negatively affect eye health, and this is what doctors have warned about since the beginning of the widespread use of computers, so be careful about your eye health.