Eye Care in Office

Now days, the use of computers is inevitable when doing work in the office. Eyes are the main senses involved when using the computer. However, many of us do not realize that the prolonged use of the computer may indirectly result in eye strain. At the same time, it may cause the body to become fatigued and tired, especially in the head to waist level.

You probably have experienced at least one of the common symptoms after prolonged computer use which includes eye strain, irritated eyes, fatigue, headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes, neck and shoulder pain, glare, double visionand difficulty refocusing the eyes.All the symptoms may lead to a condition called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).

The extent to which individuals experience visual symptoms often depends on the level of their visual abilities and the amount of time spent looking at the computer screen. This situation can result in reduced productivity and increased errors in the work place.

There are a number of factors that determine the amount of strain your body feels as you work on a computer.Although it seems trivial, but it is extremely important to reduce and preventing Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).

These factors includelighting in the room, distance from the screen, glare on the screen, seating posture, the angle of your head, blinkingfrequency, adequate rest– not to mention any existing vision problems you may have. One or all of these may combine to cause an uncomfortable amount of strain on your eyes.However, the discomfort it causes can be minimized by following a few simple practices.

Make sure the lighting in the rooms is comfortable on the eyes, and prevents you from staring into glare on the computer screen.Position the computer screen to avoid glare, particularly from overhead lighting or windows.

Use blinds or curtains on windows and replace the light bulbs in desk lamp with bulbs of lower wattage. Eyefatigue due to the use of computers will increase from an external light source (the sun) and the lights in the office. Rightly, reduce room lighting to half normal office levels. An easy way to do this is to remove half the bulbs from ceiling fixtures. Use desk lamps for tasks that require more light.

If there is no way to minimize glare from light sources, consider using a screen glare filter. These filters decrease the amount of light reflected from the screen.Make sure wall colour is not too bright such as white.

Foreyeglasses wearers, make sure your lens has an anti-glare coating to minimize glare in the eyes. In some cases, individuals who do not require the use of eyeglasses for other daily activities may benefit from glasses prescribed specifically for computer use. Get informationfrom the nearby optometrist about spectacle lens tints and coatings that can reduce glare.

Chairs should be comfortably padded and conform to the body. If your chair has arms, they should be adjusted to provide arm support while you are typing. Your wrists shouldn’t rest on the keyboard when typing.

A comfortable chair with support for your neck and back will help you avoid neck and shoulder strain commonly associated with Computer Vision Syndrome. Referencematerialsshould be located above the keyboard and below the monitor.If this is not possible, a document holder can be used beside the monitor. Use an adjustable copy holderto place reference material at the same distance from your eyes as your computer screen and as close to the screen as possible. The goal is to position the documents so you do not need to move your head to look from the document to the screen.

Adjust your work area and your computer for your comfort.  Ensure correct posture while sitting. Place your computer screen 16 to 30 inches from your eyes. Computer screen should be slightly below eye level. Optimally, the computer screen should be 15 to 20 degrees below eye level.

It is important to position the computer screen so that your head is in a natural, comfortable position while working. Being too close to the monitor / screen will slightly harmful to our eyes.

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Try to rest your eyes when using the computer for long periods to prevent eyestrain. Rest your eyes for 15 minutes after two hours of continuous computer use. Also, for every 20 minutes of computer viewing, look into the distance for 10 to 15 seconds to allow your eyes a chance to refocus.Repeat for4-5 times. This training is essential for eye muscles due to excessive computer use.

Take alternative task breaks throughout the day. Make phone calls or photocopies. Consult with co-workers. Do anything that doesn’t require your eyes to focus on something up close.In addition,during breaks, do stretching the shoulders, neck and back of the body to relieve the muscles involved.Diligently following this every hour will help reduce overall stress on your eyes, and you won’t feel so tired after work.

Make an effort to blink your eyes frequently to prevent dry eye when using a computer.Blinking keeps the front surface of your eye moist. Among theexercises that can be done is blinks slowly (like ready to sleep) every 20 minutes after computer use.

Repeat 10times before continues the work. Dry eye may worsen when you are in the air-conditioned room.The use of over-the-counter artificial-tear solutions can reduce the effects of dry eye. Brightness, contrast and background colouron the computermust be appropriate to the level of our vision to avoid discomfort to the eyes. The font size used should not be too small. Avoid dark or variety colour background.

Thorougheye examination every year for computer users is a must. At the same time, it might detect refractive error, dry eye and other eye health problemsRegular eye examinations and proper viewing habits can help to prevent or reduce the development of the symptoms associated with Computer Vision Syndrome.

Make sureyour glasses meet the demands of your job. Tell your optometrist about the job and seek advice from them on a special spectacle lens that can be worn while using the computer.

Many of the visual symptoms experienced by computer users are only temporary and will decline after stopping computer work. However, some individuals may experience continued reduced visual abilities, such as blurred distance vision, refocusing even after stopping work at a computer. If nothing is done to address the cause of the problem, the symptoms will continue to recur and perhaps worsen with future computer use.

Beside that, clean your computer screen frequently. Dustand fingerprints can reduce clarity. Practice a balanced diet. Foods rich in lutein such as eggs, carrots and avocados are good for our eyes. Drink plenty of plain water, especially coffee lovers because caffeine can cause dry eyes.

All suggestionsare expected to help reducing and preventing Computer Vision Syndrome.  Thus, we can work more efficient without compromising the productivity of our work.

References

1. Protecting Your Eyes at Work, Computer Vision Syndrome, American Optometric Association
2. http://www.aoa.org/Images/public/14C.gif