Long hours at the computer can take their toll on your eyes. About 75% of computer users suffer from computer vision syndrome, and hildren who use computers excessively are at risk for permanent vision damage. All of this is preventable, without having to stop using computers.

Computer vision syndrome can cause pain and discomfort that you may not immediately associate with vision. Symptoms include:
Eye strain
Headaches
Neck and shoulder pain
Blurred vision
Fatigue

Eye strain and sitting in one position for too long cause the muscles in the face, neck and shoulders to tense and become stiff, causing neck and shoulder pain and headaches. Blood flow is reduced to the head and eyes causing fatigue and making difficult to see clearly and think clearly.

Effects of the Computer Monitor
Your eyes behave differently when looking at a computer screen than they do during other activities. Words printed on paper have sharp and crisp contrast. On a computer screen, they may look sharp and crisp, but they are made of pixels (very tiny squares of color), causing the eye to constantly shift.

If the font used by a website is a serif font like Times New Roman, for example, each letter has tiny projections on it which require even more eye adjustments when reading. A sans-serif font like this Arial is simpler. Also, the brightness of the screen causes blinking five times less often than usual, leading to dry eyes.

Children may develop early nearsightedness due to excessive computer use. In order for vision to develop properly children must use their far vision as well as their near vision. When kids play outside they are constantly shifting focus from near to far and back again. While looking at a computer screen the eyes focus only on an intermediate range.

Ways to Make Computer Use Less Harmful

Position your monitor ten to fifteen degrees below eye level, and tilt the top slightly away from you
Adjust your screen settings so that the light from your screen is about equal to the lighting in the room, not bright or dim, and turn up the contrast for a crisper image
Every fifteen to twenty minutes, get up and walk around, and shift your vision to something far away
Reduce lighting the room where you use your computer to about half of the normal level of lighting
Use curtains and low wattage bulbs to reduce glare
If you wear glasses, use a pair designed for computer use – mid-range focus. Most eye glasses address only near and far vision
Wear glasses with a special coating that blocks glare

If you use computers regularly you should have an eye exam at least once a year to determine if computer use is damaging your vision. If you are experiencing vision problems or symptoms of eye strain, you can find a fully-qualified and experienced ophthalmologist in your area, by using the links below. The Eye Care Center of Northern Colorado specializes in eye health and vision surgery.