Do you suffer from any of theses symptoms?
- Headaches
- Blurred vision
- Double vision
- Dry eye
- Eye discomfort
- Eye fatigue
- Eye itching
- Eye redness
- Eye tearing
If so, you could have Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS)…but don’t worry, the EyeCare Optometric Group can help!
Hi I’m Kristiena Bobocel, I’m a licensed optician and proud co-owner of the EyeCare Group. Thanks for taking the time to read this blog, where we aim to inform you about issues related to eye health and eyewear in general.
Today I would like to address a question that I’m getting more and more these days, as we are all spending more time in front of our devices…”what is Computer Vision Syndrome, and what causes it?”
The answer is very simple, when your eye muscles get tired from staring at a screen (computer, tablet or phone) for long periods time. This can cause eye discomfort and distorted blurry vision, among other symptoms. The eyes have small muscles located around the eyeball that are responsible for assisting the eyes to focus. When these muscles are forced to hold the same position for long periods of time, like at a computer screen they can become fatigued and super tired, no different from working out, thus resulting in headaches, blurry vision and eye discomfort.
Computer vision syndrome (CVS) can affect patients of all ages, children, men and women. The most affected demographic include those of us over the age of 40 due to the fact that as we get older, the lenses of the eyes tend to lose flexibility and the eye muscles become less resilient.
How do you treat Computer Vision Syndrome?
Fortunately, even though eye strain associated with computer vision syndrome is irritating or even annoying, the good news it does NOT mean that your eyes will suffer permanent damage. The irritation caused by CVS is almost always temporary. The discomfort will, however continue to increase unless steps are taken to avoid it. I’ve talked to our doctors of optometry about treatment for CVS, and we’ve come up with some easy to follow recommendations to treat this issue.
The first option is super easy, and it’s called the “20-20-20 Rule.” It works like this: for every 20 minutes that you spend in front of your screen, give yourself a mini break by looking away from your screen and focusing on something 20 feet away for roughly 20 seconds. Even this relatively short amount of time it gives your eye muscles the rest they need to keep going longer. But remember, this only works if you look away from ALL digital screens.
The second tool that I recommend is probably easier than the first, and that’s to make sure to blink frequently. Our eyes need to stay well-lubricated in order to function at optimum capacity, and blinking regularly ensures this happens. It’s simple, dry eyes will lead to blurred vision and so EyeCare Group recommends that in addition to being mindful about blinking, that you use eye drops that are designed specifically to provide balanced lubrication to treat and prevent dry eyes. All eyedrops are not created equal, EyeCare Group can recommend the best products to treat all the various dry eye symptoms, and believe me there is lots.
The last bit of advice I recommend is to consider getting fit for eyeglasses that are optimized for working in front of a screen. The computer lenses in the glasses can be either prescription or non-prescription, but what makes them unique and effective is how they are digitally designed. Specially made to assist and relax the eye muscles for viewing a computer screen and minimize eye fatigue. Our friendly and qualified optometrists, Dr. Singh and Dr. Toor are specialize in diagnosing and treating CVS and other challenges related to computer eye fatigue.
EyeCare Group is passionate about caring for you and your eye health. If you have any concerns about your vision or have any questions about how to best maintain the health of your eyes, please be sure to contact us, as we would be happy to help in any way that we can.
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