Eyestrain
Eyestrain is a term used to describe a wide range of symptoms including tiredness, irritation and soreness of the eyes, screwing up of the eyes, photophobia (discomfort in bright light) and headaches. Eyestrain is often the cause of frontal headaches and relief can mostly be obtained by means of prescription lenses, contact lenses or vision therapy.
Due to the intense demands made on the visual system, people using computer screens are more prone to suffer from the above symptoms. These can be brought about by various factors, including refractive errors, eye muscle imbalances, incorrect sitting postures, design limitations of the equipment, unsuitable lighting and office surroundings and psychological factors.
Fortunately most computer screen related vision problems can be easily alleviated through proper workstation planning, work habits and most importantly, professional eye care.
Common symptoms of computer terminal eye strain:
- Headaches
- Tired sore eyes
- Eye Irritation
- Blurred vision
- Slow refocusing when looking from copy or screen to distant objects
- Frequently losing place when moving eyes to screen and vice versa
- Difficulty in seeing clearly at distance after prolonged use of a computer terminal
- Occasional or frequent double vision
- Changes in colour perception
- Present lens prescription failing to relieve symptoms
Other symptoms from which computer operators may suffer:
- Neck, shoulder tension or pain
- Back pain
- Excessive physical fatigue
- Increase in irritability when using screens
- Pain in arms, wrists (Carpal tunnel syndrome)
- Increased nervousness
- Lowered visual efficiency and increased frequency of errors
