The eyes have had it.
They're tired and stressed-out from hour upon hour of staring ata computer screen.
Coeur d'Alene optometrist Janis Beck hears their complaints everyday.
'It's one of the No. 1 reasons why people come in to see me,'says Beck, who practices at the Ironwood Vision Center.
'It' even has a name: Computer vision syndrome.
Computer vision syndrome can hit anybody who spends significanttime each day at a video-display terminal. Symptoms include eyefatigue, headaches, dry eyes, blurred vision and sensitivity tolight.
Surveys have shown that more than 70 percent of computer-usersexperience some eye strain, according to the American OptometricAssociation.
Reading words on a printed page can cause fatigue, but reading acomputer screen is different, experts say.
Letters on a computer monitor are made up of pixels, so the edgesof each letter are soft, and a bit blurry. Words on a printed pagehave sharper edges.
Those soft edges make it tougher for the eye to focus, forcingthe eyes to work harder.
'The eye tends to do more searching,' says Elwin Schutt, anoptometrist at the Post Falls Vision Clinic.
Stacey Johnson, an assistant financial planner with QuantumFinancial Planning in Spokane, knows all about that.
Johnson's eyes feel tired at the end of each day spent looking ather computer screen.
'The last place I want to be is at the computer at the end of theday,' she says.
She got glasses a couple of years ago, which her doctor said wasnecessitated by her computer use, she says. She switched to contactlenses last year, which she says has helped ease the fatigue a bit.(A vacation has proven to be the biggest help, she says.)
Since it's unlikely we'll be going back to stone tablets anytimesoon, it's good that there's hope for eye-strained computer-users.
First off, most doctors say computers won't do long-term damageto the eyes.
'There's not much evidence the vision deteriorates,' Schutt says.'It just makes the operator miserable.'
Some optometrists such as Schutt and D. Todd Wylie of Spokane'sAdvanced Eye Care Center offer a test to diagnose computer visionsyndrome.
During the test, patients look at letters on a simulated computerscreen.
'We can make measurements of how the person's eye is respondingwith computer print versus regular print,' Wylie says. 'For somepeople, the eyes' focusing mechanism will react a littledifferently.'
In that case, glasses can be prescribed specifically for computeruse.
Glasses aren't always necessary, though.
Some simple strategies can help reduce computer eye strain.
'Most importantly, just keep in mind that your eye muscles can beconsidered like other muscles in your body,' Beck says. 'You don'twant to strain them.'
As with any muscle, eyes need their rest.
Break away from projects every hour or so to focus on somethingfarther away than your computer monitor.
Or, to lubricate the eyes after long stretches of littleblinking, open and close your eyes five or 10 times. Do it slowlyand close your eyes gently, says Rod Strom, a physical therapist andergonomics pro at HealthSouth's industrial rehabilitation clinic inSpokane.
Strom also suggests putting your elbows on your desk and placingyour face in your palms. Close your eyes and apply a little pressureto them with your hands as you roll your eyes in circles.
'It helps to lubricate the eyes,' he says. 'And to use the eyemuscles.'
You can also adjust your workstation to make it more eye-friendly.
Sit as you normally do and turn your monitor off, Strom suggests.
Look at what you see reflected in the screen.
If it's overhead lighting, you might need to tip your monitordown slightly. If it's light from behind you, you may want to seeabout closing the blinds or otherwise controlling the light.
Your monitor should be at about arms-length when you are seated.The top line of text should be at eye level, so you can scandownward instead of having to look up, Strom says.
But if you wear bifocals or other progressive lenses, you need toadjust the monitor so you can see the screen through the appropriatelens, he says.
Strom suggests seeing if you can increase the print size on yourscreen. You should also make sure there's a strong contrast betweenthe background and text colors.
And make sure to steer clear of any busy computer wallpapers thatwould clutter your screen.
An eye-pleasing setup can make a big difference in overall healthsince vision takes up so much of our energy each day, Wylie says.
'If that system gets tuckered,' he says, 'it affects all of you.'
This sidebar appeared with the story:
At a glance
Reducing eye strain
Here are some tips to reduce computer-related eye strain:
* Make sure your eyes are in good shape by getting regularcheckups.
* Give your eyes a break from the computer screen during the day.Look away from the monitor or do other tasks.
* Minimize glare by adjusting lighting or getting a glare-reduction filter for your screen.
* Make a conscious effort to blink more.
* Choose a light-colored screen with dark letters; it's easier onthe eyes.
* Keep the computer screen slightly below eye level.
* If typing from a document, keep it as close to the monitor aspossible.
* Clean your screen often.
Source: American Optometric Association
