CVS is defined as a complex of eye and vision disorders related to near work, which is experienced during or related to computer usage.

CVS is the single largest health hazard related to computer work today.If you are the kind of person who spends most of the time working on the computer everyday, you are likely to suffer from CVS. An estimated 800 million people in the world already do. Ignoring CVS can prove to be very costly, as it is known to cause serious immediate and long-term health problems.

What is Computer Vision Syndrome?
When working on the computer, your eyes move from the screen to the keyboard to your presentation on the table about 25,000 times. While doing this, your eyes are exposed to different intensities and frequencies of flicker of light. To survive this task, your eyes are required to adjust to the flicker of the monitor, accomodate (to remove blurred images), converge (to remove double images) and adapt (to various luminances) 25,000 times a day approximately.

The strain your eyes are subjected to is equivalent of doing 50 push-ups every minute day-in and day-out. But the ordeal does not end there. Tired and beaten, your eyes are further punished by the harsh glare of the computer screen.

How Soon Does CVS Develop?

Because working on a computer is a visually demanding task, often in a compromised visual environment, various forms of discomfort and decreased performance occurs.

Some of the common symptoms of CVS include:

• Eye strain (sore eyes or eye fatigue)

• Headache

• Blurred vision

• Slowness in changing the focus of eyes (distance to near and back)

• Blur in the distance after near work

• Glare (light) sensitivity

• Eye irritation (burning, dryness, redness)

• Contact-lens discomfort

• Neck and shoulder pain

• Back pain

The best way to avoid CVS is to take corrective action immediately by designing an ergonomically correct work place. That means proper lighting conditions that do not strain the eye, monitor level slightly lower than the line of vision, arm and palm rests to ease the pressure while typing, and an anti-glare screen if possible.

A few simple rules you can follow to ease the eye-fatigue while working on the video display terminal:

• After every half hour, break eye contact with the computer display. Look out of the window or just walk around.

• As the blink rate goes down while working on a computer, lubricating drops can be used to alleviate symptoms.

• Use glasses that have an anti-glare coating.

• Maintain a comfortable reading distance from the computer display. Do not peer into it. 55-75 cms is a safe distance (2 to 2.5 feet).

• See that the lighting in the room is indirect and diffused.

• A periodic checkup with an eye specialist to monitor any invisible injury to the eyes.

Dr. Prashant Aroskar Ophthalmologist Laksh-Deep Hospital