The Hindu : Karnataka News : Do not close your eyes to computer vision syndrome

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Do not close your eyes to computer vision syndrome

Sahana Charan

— PHOTO : K.K. MUSTAFAH

STRESSFUL: The eyes are a major casualty.

Bangalore: Twenty-six-year-old Joe John, an information technology (IT) professional working in a multinational company, has a gritty sensation in his eyes at the end of the day, almost every day.

“A few hours of working on the computer and I feel as if there is some particle inside my eyes. It interferes with my work as I am not able to concentrate. Often, my eyes become extremely dry, and there is a burning sensation towards the end of the day,” he said.

Without breaks

He is on the computer for at least 10 to 12 hours a day without getting too many breaks.

There are many such young professionals who experience similar symptoms. Ophthalmologists term it “computer vision syndrome” and say that the problem is on the rise.

According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is a “complex condition of eye and vision that is experienced during and related to computer use.

“It is a repetitive strain disorder that appears to be growing rapidly, with some studies estimating that 90 per cent of the 70 million U.S. workforce using computers for more than three hours a day experience CVS in some form.”

According to Arun Samprathi, consultant ophthalmologist, “There has been no accurate data on the incidence of this problem in India.

“However, a large number of computer professionals who come to us are seeking treatment for CVS.

“If you spend more than three hours each day in front of a computer screen, you are likely to experience some degree of the syndrome.

“Symptoms of CVS include headache, blurring of vision towards the end of the day, burning or tired eyes, a feeling of dryness or a foreign body sensation and neck and shoulder pain.”

When the eyes are focussed on an image which is nearby, the eye muscles contract to focus on the object and this causes strain.

As many as seven muscles and six major cranial nerves are involved in this process, accounting for approximately 25 per cent of the energy output of the brain.

This continuous strain leads to tiredness of the eyes, Dr. Samprathi says.

Blink often

According to B.C. Rathna, resident medical officer, Minto Ophthalmic Hospital, “Human beings blink 22 times a minute involuntarily. When using the computer we do not blink often.

“The lower blink rate results in dryness of our eyes causing discomfort and the feeling that there is something inside the eyes.

“As most people who work on computers are in an air-conditioned environment, this adds to the dryness.”

Maintaining proper posture and looking away from the computer screen and blinking voluntarily for 20 seconds every 20 minutes can help reduce the problem, she adds.

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