Do your eyes feel fatigued after sitting at your computer for a while? Do you have blurred or double vision…headaches…dry eyes…color distortions…and/or pain in your neck or back? Then according to the American Optometric Association, you likely have computer vision syndrome, also known as digital eyestrain.

While most of the negative effects of computer vision syndrome are temporary, they may significantly disrupt your quality of life, warns Bottom Line’s vision consultant Jeffrey Anshel, OD. And some recent evidence now suggests that computer vision syndrome could contribute to myopia in some patients, so don’t ignore the symptoms.

What Causes Computer Vision Syndrome?

Looking at things on a computer is different from viewing printed documents. We rely on reflected light to see what’s printed on a page, but light emanates from computer and phone screens directly into our eyes. Letters on a printed page are sharply delineated, while the less defined borders of letters on a screen force our eyes to work harder.

Does the Position of My Computer Contribute to Computer Vision Syndrome?

Yes—in fact, many of us toil at workstations that are not optimized for vision. Examples: A monitor set up at the wrong height can cause you to blink only halfway rather than blinking completely, and that can lead to dry eyes. A screen positioned too close or too far from you makes it harder for your eyes to focus. A worker wearing reading glasses designed for a distance of 16 inches who sits 22 inches away from the screen will have to lean forward to see better, tiring his/her neck and upper back…or squint for hours, bringing on fatigue and headaches. Someone wearing bifocals might lean back to view his monitor through the top half of the lens or lift his chin to see through the reading portion.

Lighting errors also can cause symptoms. Too much contrast between background lighting (if too dark) and the screen’s bright illumination causes pupils to dilate and contract constantly, stressing the muscles.

What Can I Do to Prevent Computer Vision Syndrome?

Follow the 20/20/20 rule—every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds to look at something 20 feet away. Do this throughout your workday.

Also: Eat right to support eye health. Include in your diet cooked leafy greens, such as kale and spinach, as well as eggs, all of which contain the healthful carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. These nutrients accumulate in the retina and help to filter out glare coming into the eye. They have many other functions for general eye health as well.

Helpful: Have someone photograph you at your workstation and show the picture to your eye doctor. After a thorough exam, discuss solutions to your vision problems. These might include occupational progressive lenses worn specifically for work. And if your glasses don’t have antireflective lenses, invest in that lens treatment.

How Should I Set Up My Workspace to Avoid Computer Vision Syndrome?

Use the following guidelines to rearrange your workspace…

  • Screen distance: With some typical work material on the screen, stand up and start backing away. Stop when it blurs. Take half steps forward until the material on the screen is clear again. Measure that distance, then divide by three. That’s the ideal distance to position your screen.
  • Screen height: When seated comfortably and looking straight ahead, you should be looking at or just above the top of the monitor.
  • Screen angle: Tilt the top of the screen back about 10 to 15 degrees.
  • Lighting: If glare is a problem on the screen, get an anti-glare filter. Arrange the screen brightness so the background illumination matches that of the surrounding brightness.
  • Colors: When looking at material on the screen, choose simple black letters on a white background whenever possible.

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