Computer vision is a syndrome that includes several different symptoms. It can make everyday tasks more difficult and cause significant pain. If you suspect you have computer vision syndrome, you need to see an eye doctor for an eye exam. If you live in or around Orlando and would like to schedule an eye exam with our optometrist, contact Dr. Anderson at Advanced Optical. Let’s look at some of the questions that we run into regarding computer vision syndrome.
What Is Computer Vision?
Computer vision syndrome is a collection of symptoms that are caused by spending a lot of time in front of a computer screen. The syndrome can make your eyes irritated and even make your eyesight worse for a time. You can be screened for this condition during an annual eye exam.
What Are the Symptoms of Computer Vision?
There are many symptoms that you may experience if you suffer from this condition. Feeling eye strain is perhaps the most common symptom. Spending a lot of time at the computer can cause your eyes to work harder than they ordinarily would. This results in eye strain and can also cause headaches, neck pain, and shoulder pain. You may experience blurry vision or dry eyes. If you often feel like you need to rest your eyes, computer vision is a significant possibility.
What Causes Computer Vision?
This condition is caused by spending long hours in front of a computer, but it can get more complicated than that. Certain conditions make the situation worse for your eyes. If you do not have enough lighting in the room, this can also affect your eyes. If you have glare on your screen, it can cause your eyes to work harder and result in eyestrain. If your posture is poor while at the computer or you are not at the correct distance from the screen, you could develop this condition. If you have vision problems that are uncorrected, such as eyeglasses that you don’t wear, this can be a cause as well.
How Do You Treat Computer Vision?
The easiest answer is to not spend as much time in front of a digital screen, but this isn’t realistic for many people. To help prevent the symptoms, you can move your lighting or your computer screen so that there is no glare on it. You can also turn down the screen brightness and take frequent breaks from looking at the screen. Although computer screens are well known to cause computer vision, it should be noted that spending hours staring at a tablet or mobile device can also result in computer vision syndrome.