December 1, 2008
Are You Harming Your Eyes Right Now?
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What effect does looking at your computer monitor all day have on your vision?
Many of us tend to think that the electromagnetic waves from our screens are damaging our vision (probably a remanant of all those parental warnings about sitting too close to the television). Well the good news is that there is little need to worry about the harmful effects of radiation from our desktops and laptops. According to Prevent Blindness America, the levels of x-rays and UV rays from your screen are “below levels that can cause eye damage such as cataracts.”
However, there are more mundane things to be concerned about when it comes to keeping your eyes healthy while using your computer. In fact, research by the London Hazards Centre, indicates that over 70% of adults who use a computer for more than six hours per day experience visual problems. In addition, a report from the University of California’s Berkeley School of Optometry states that up to 30% of American schoolchildren are “causing undue stress on their eyes by using the computer too much.” So what are the causes of these problems and how can they be prevented?
Dr. Hansjoerg Kolder, a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Iowa College of Medicine and staff physician at University of Iowa Hospitals says that a key cause of computer-related eye complaints is simply fatigue. In other words, it is the consistency of the short range focus, not the fact that you are focusing on an LED screen, that is the main culprit. Dr. Kolder recommends closing your eyes for 20 to 30 seconds every 10 to 15 minutes and using anti-glare screens to reduce eye strain.
Also, it is not advisable to use your computer in dim lighting. The readjustment from the backlit screen to the insufficiently-lit keyboard is a common cause of eye strain.
As always, see your eye care professional if you are experiencing any difficulties with your vision.
Tags: Contact Lenses
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Have to say I do stare at the computer screen quite often and my eyes feel tired and dry from it. I am glad that there is nothing wrong or nothing negative that comes along with surfing, or working on a computer for along time at least nothing bad for my eyes.
I will say I use Natures Tears EyeMist to help relieve the fatigue and dryness that I get from too much screen glare! Stuff works really well for me.
I’ve always wondered what effect does looking at my computer monitor all day have on my vision. When I went to get my prescription for contact lenses, my eye doctor said the same thing that the eye doctor quoted in this blog post says. He told me that when I was reading or engaged on my computer, every few minutes I should stop and focus on something in the distance. To refocus my eyes.
I found this post on propeller and found it fascinating.
I am a computer programmer by trade and spend much of my life looking at a computer screen. I wore glasses and found them to be more of an annoyance then I do my contact lenses when I’m at work. For some reason, don’t know if its because the contact lenses are closer to my eyes and more natural but I used to get some pretty serious headaches with my glasses on while at work.
Good to know harmful effects are limited. Sometimes at work my eyes feel like they arre going crazy from staring at the screen all day. I am going to try the tip about closing the eyes and see if that help.
A consultant at CLE Contact Lenses had suggested the Acuvue 2 lens to me, since it has UV blocking. I consulted with my doctor, and sure enough, the consultant I spoke with at CLE was right on target. Kudos CLE!!!
Over the past ten years staring at a screen all day it’s nice to see some studies show exactly what your are thinking. They should do a study on headaches from the screens as well.
Staring at screens does give me a headache and makes my eyes feel strained.
I actually have used the ask the doctor feature at http://clecontactlenses.com and they advised me to excercise my eyes by taking a break from the screen and looking out the window at different objects, he described it as stretching your arms and legs when you are on a long flight or have been sitting at a desk for a long time.
I will also try the acuvue 2 with uv blocking as a poster suggested above or at least i will ask my eye doctor.
I used to use those green screen covers on my monitor to help keep the strain off of my eyes. It worked. Now with my contact lenses, I don’t have the same issues with eye strain when I work on the computer.
I find that I get a little eye strain when I work at the computer with my contact lenses in. I dont think this is causing any harm to the eyes but I’m not sure.
Are there any other contact lens users eading this blog.who have this problem?
By the way I LOVE CLECONTACTLESES.COM
Why.. they have this great thing called ask the doctor where I have gotten a number of questions answered… by a real eye doctor…. only on my favorite contact lens site clecontactlenses.com
If you spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen and wear contact lenses or glasses you should spend equal time reading either newspapers, magazines or books. This will enable the eye to refocus on different objective points of different media. This has helped me get over serious computer migraine headaches.
Are some contact lenses better for the eyes when it comes to eye fatigue? I asked that question on the ask th doctor at clecontactlenses.com and they didn’t seem to think the brand you use made any difference but I’d lke to hear from others what there experience has been
Thanks
Keeping eyes moist is also an important element to minimizing eye fatigue and eye strain.
I have been staring at this screen for too long! My eyes need some exercise!!
I don’t wear contact lenses but if I did I would get them from http://clecontactlenses.com
Contact lenses don’t cause eye strain, my thin rimmed eyeglasses - those do. Focus dailies are my favorites.
Natures Tears EyeMist is so convenient.. and a great wake up. It’s the most refreshing thing I have fond for eye strain