If you are a professional who works from their computer all day, you’ve likely experienced something known as computer vision syndrome (CVS). Let’s dive into what this condition is and how you can help.
CVS is a common condition caused by overworking your eyes when looking at an electronic screen. Viewing digital devices tends to make your eyes work harder, as computer-like work requires different distances and angles than reading and writing printed text. Usually, the text on screens is not as precise or sharp as that on a printed page. Additionally, there are usually lower levels of contrast, reflections, and glare that can make screen use viewing challenging.
Looking at and reading device screens can therefore require more demanding eye movements and body positioning, leading to something known as computer vision syndrome. The following conditions and issues can cause or exacerbate CVS:
Bad lighting
Poor seating posture
Digital screen glare
Inappropriate viewing distance from the screen
Uncorrected vision problems (1)
Working at a computer for prolonged periods can definitely cause computer eye strain. Aside from the reasons stated above, a large contributor to eye strain is potential blue light damage. Blue light is a form of light on the visible light spectrum that vibrates between 380 to 500 nanometers, making it the type of light with the shortest wavelength and highest energy.
Our eyes are not very good at blocking blue light, so blue light is able to pass through the cornea and lens to the retina. Prolonged blue light exposure can damage retinal cells over time, leading to vision problems such as age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and even eye cancer (2).
As a result of blue light and the demands that screens put on the body and eyes, you may experience a cluster of CVS-related symptoms. These include:
Eye strain
Blurred vision
Headaches
Dry eyes
Neck and shoulder pain
These symptoms can be particularly bothersome for individuals who have existing visual conditions that are untreated. For example, astigmatism, farsightedness, and presbyopia can all contribute to the development and worsening of CVS symptoms.
Blue light can also be damaging to our health in other ways aside from just eye strain. Blue light can disrupt our circadian rhythms, which is our body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. It suppresses melatonin production, which can ultimately impact sleep quality and quantity (2).
Visual symptoms are usually temporary and will go away once you take a step away from your screen. However, some people may continue to experience impaired vision, such as difficulty seeing far away, even after stopping computer work. Thus, it is important to implement protective measures against CVS and attend regular checkups with an eyecare professional, especially if you spend long hours at your computer (1).
Thankfully, there are several ways in which we can protect our eyes and prevent CVS when working long hours at our computers.
Perhaps one of the best ways to prevent CVS is by making adjustments to your routine and environment to prevent eye discomfort. You can do this in the following ways:
Decreasing screen time. Although you may work long hours at a computer, try to limit your usage of other digital devices outside of your working hours.
Taking breaks. The 20-20-20 method can be helpful in preventing eye strain. This rule involves looking at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. Additionally, try taking a 15-minute break for every two hours you use your screen.
Minimizing glare. Reflections of light and glare can cause unnecessary computer eye strain. To limit these disturbances, lower your blinds, utilize low-wattage bulbs, and stay away from bright overhead lights.
Increase text size. Reading tiny fonts makes your eyes work harder. Change your settings to increase text size for better ease of reading and writing.
If you have an underlying eye issue, you could be making your symptoms worse by leaving vision problems untreated. Be sure to have routine checkups with your optometrist to assess your vision so that they can intervene accordingly. They may recommend prescription contact lenses or glasses to improve your vision, which would likely also reduce computer eye strain.
A large part of eye strain could have to do with dry eyes. We tend to blink far less when we are looking at computer screens, however, blinking is very important to keeping our eyes lubricated. Without tears to keep our eyes moist, we can experience dry eye.
Over-the-counter artificial tears can moisturize your eyes. Additionally, just being more cognizant of your blinking patterns and trying to blink more can make a big difference.
We tend to underestimate how important our diet is when it comes to our eye health and vision. There are so many vitamins and minerals contained within our foods that can protect our eyes against blue light and minimize symptoms of eye strain.
However, sometimes we need an extra boost when it comes to getting in all these eye-healthy nutrients. Thankfully, there are eye supplements available that could potentially help with computer vision syndrome.
Supplements can definitely help to avoid computer vision syndrome, but selecting the right supplement with research-backed ingredients is essential.
[The Eye Mazing Everyday Eye Vitamin from Zen Nutrients] is a vision supplement that can support your eye health. Eye Mazing contains ingredients that have demonstrated effects in filtering high-energy blue light from digital devices and minimizing eye strain, helping to prevent and relieve symptoms of computer vision syndrome.
What is the Eye Mazing eye vitamin? The Eye Mazing eye vitamin is the first 3-in-1 everyday eye gummy that is research-backed with clinical ingredi...
Why can working on screens for too long cause eye strain and fatigue? One of the biggest causes of eye strain and fatigue is prolonged electronic u...
Here’s a simple fact: if you see better, you’ll play better. That’s right, your vision is essential to performing at your best in practically any s...
