Eye strain from working with computers has become a major workplace
concern, creating almost $2 billion a year to diagnose and treat the
problem, according to the American Optometric Association.
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration and the AOA both
indicate that eye strain, which results from too much time spent staring
at a video display terminal (VDT), is one of the most common workplace
complaints in recent years. Some reports even indicate that straining to
get a better view of a computer screen can contribute to other physical
problems, such as neck and back strain.
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Dr. Katherine A. Rispoli, a Middletown optometrist, explained other
physical strain can occur “because they (computer users) are not focused
on the computer properly and they’re fidgeting.”
During the AOA’s June 1995 annual meeting in Nashville, Dr. James
Sheedy of Walnut Creek, Calif., said that eye-related complaints are the
“number one” problem cited by computer users, according to the AOA. The
most common complaints being eye strain, eye fatigue, eye irritation and
blurred vision, said Sheedy, who was chair of the association’s
Environmental/Occupational Vision Committee at the time.
Other complaints also include headaches and double vision, he said.
This particular group of problems is referred to as Computer Vision
Syndrome by optometrists, according to the AOA.
A number of gadgets have been developed to alleviate the high tech
health care problem.
There is some evidence that devices designed to reduce light glare
and other preventative measures, such as taking regular rest breaks and
occasionally looking away from a computer terminal, can help reduce eye
strain. When such preventative measures are used, it can help
computer users reduce the amount of eyestrain they experience in a
workday and lessen the chances that existing sight problems, such as
nearsightedness, aren’t made worse.
“We basically call it visual hygiene, where we say you can’t work two
hours (straight) on the computer,” Rispoli said. “Break it up … take a
walk — change your focus.”
The AOA has several recommendations for reducing the effects of
computer screens on the eyes and body:
- Keep the computer screen four to nine inches below eye level.
- Place the computer straight in front of you, if you look at it much
of the time. - Use drapes, shades or blinds to control window lighting and glare.
- Create an adjustable work station.
- Keep screen brightness at about the same brightness as other objects
in the room. Black characters on a white background are easiest on the
eyes. - Try a glare reduction filter. Filters carrying the AOA Seal of
Acceptance can be found at office supply stores.
