Your Healthy Eyes - Computer Vision Syndrome
Do you spend long hours in front of a computer monitor?
Do you notice any of the following symptoms after a few hours
of working on the computer…neck pain, blurry vision, stiff
shoulders, headache, watery eyes? You might think you need a
new chair but it could be your glasses. Many of the symptoms
listed above are the result of moving your body into positions
in an attempt to physically adjust the distance between your
eyes and the computer screen. If you have some of symptoms
below, you may have Computer Vision Syndrome and need a
separate pair of glasses just for working on the computer.
Symptoms may include:
- Blurred vision
- Eye Strain
- Headaches
- Neck and shoulder pain
- Lower back pain
Since computer monitors are typically 20 to 26 inches
from your eyes, your regular glasses may not be right for
computer work. This distance range is considered
intermediate—closer than what you use to drive a car but
farther away than what you use to read. Special lens
designs for computer work provide you with a larger
intermediate area for viewing the computer and your
immediate work area like the top of your desk.
Lens Designs
If you don’t normally wear glasses but need help keeping the computer screen in focus, a pair of single vision glasses will help your eyes focus on your computer screen. This will provide the largest field of vision in the intermediate viewing area, reducing the risk of eyestrain and an unnatural posture.
If you already wear glasses for distance, close-up work or both, a pair of multifocal lenses will help you see at all distances, especially in the intermediate area where your computer sits. Lenses designed for computer use have little to no distance correction so they are not recommended for driving.
Not interested in another pair of frames just for working at the computer? Ask for a pair of specially-created clip-ons—similar to sun clip-ons—that can be attached to your regular glasses for when you are working at the computer.
Other Specialty Glasses
There are other specialty frames and lenses that
can be created to meet the unique needs of your particular
work environment. Safety frames and lenses are also
available to protect your eyes in the most hazardous
work environments. With today’s new technology in frame
and lens designs, your work glasses can be both fashionable
and functional.