Next to your smartphone, you probably spend more time with your computer than anything else in your life—especially if you regularly use it for work. But research has found that plunking in front of the computer for hours can seriously screw with your vision in the form of a condition known as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).
A report on the condition published in the journal Medical Practice and Reviews estimates that 70 million people are at risk for CVS. But what is it, exactly?
Researchers define CVS as “an association between computer use and visual health related-symptoms.” The most common symptoms include headaches, eye strain, double vision, dry eyes, and eye fatigue, although neck and back pain can occur as well. And research has shown that 70 to 90 percent of people who use computers a lot have at least one symptom of CVS. “It is concluded that, as computer users are increasing rapidly, they are at risk of CVS,” the report’s authors wrote.
A lot of us have to regularly use a computer for work or school. Is this something we should be worried about?
Unfortunately, yes. David Tanzer, M.D., chief medical officer and divisional vice president of medical affairs for Abbott’s vision business, tells SELF that CVS cases are “growing at an alarming rate.”
“Viewing a computer or digital device makes the eyes work harder,” he explains. “Letters on a screen are generally not as sharp and don’t have as much contrast with their background as on printed material. Further, screens have the added complications of glare and reflection affecting readability.” People also blink less often when staring at a computer screen, he says, which can lead to dry eyes. Normally, people blink about 18 times a minute, but only blink half as often when viewing a computer or phone screen, he says.
Robert J. Noecker, M.D., an ophthalmologist with Ophthalmic Consultants of Connecticut, tells SELF that a lowered blink rate can spell trouble for your eyes. “This extra time means that the surface of our eye has more time to dry out,” he says. “Drying out means cells fall off the surface of the eye faster than they can be replaced.” And when that happens, the surface of your eye can get inflamed, causing blurred vision and discomfort.
It’s not just your eyes that feel the burn. Aaron Zimmerman, O.D., an associate professor of clinical optometry at The Ohio State University, tells SELF that the eyestrain usually leads to headaches, typically around the eyes, that will go away or diminish when you step away from your computer. You can also get tension headaches (i.e. headaches in the back of your head) from poor posture in front of your computer.
Luckily, you’re not SOL if you have to sit in front of a computer for work. Zimmerman recommends taking short, regular breaks from your screen and using artificial tears if you tend to get dry eyes while you work. If that still doesn’t help, see your doctor. “There may be an underlying binocular vision problem or improper correction,” Zimmerman says. “An eye care professional can easily identify those issues.”
Think CVS can’t happen to you? Experts say that's just not the case. CVS “probably happens to everyone who uses a screen to some extent,” Noecker says—it’s just that some people are more symptomatic than others. He adds, “In some ways, it is a rising epidemic.”
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