Computer work and visual impairment

The issue of computer work and eye trouble is a whole group of issues, at the root of which is the belief that “looking at a monitor spoils your eyesight.” In the days when desktops and laptops were the work tools of a handful of people, attention was rarely paid to the fact that overexposure of the eyes to the radiation emitted by monitors can have a negative impact on our eyes.

However, when computers became devices present in every home, accessible to people of all ages and at all times of the day, we began to see a correlation between working at a monitor and eye problems. It is worth being aware that today, when we use the word “computer” we must also mean tablets or smartphones.

The computerization of our lives has reached such a state that we hardly ever part with electronic devices, which, used improperly, can contribute to the appearance or worsening of visual defects and eye diseases. Knowledge of the proper use of electronic devices is therefore essential so that the inventions we consider among the most valuable in human history do not turn against us.

Why does a computer/smartphone monitor have an adverse effect on eyesight?

Each computer monitor emits the following types of radiation:

• X-rays – X-rays (emitted by the back of the monitor)
• Infrared – IR (emitted by the back of the monitor )
• Low-frequency – VLF, ELF (emitted by the rear part of the monitor)
• ultraviolet – UV (negligible)

IR radiation is believed to cause eye disease, and VFL and ELF radiation is accused of contributing to worsening vision defects.

Every computer monitor emits light. Blue light is particularly dangerous to the eyes. It is received in the eye by the light-sensitive cells of the retina and transmitted to the pineal gland. Once, it can damage the retina itself, two – it interferes with the body’s secretion of melatonin, and thus disrupts our diurnal rhythm.

People whose last activity before bed is staring at a smartphone or a series on a laptop have a reduced need for sleep. It is easy to imagine what happens to an organism that is knocked out of its natural rhythm of sleep and wakefulness. Insomnia, constant fatigue, decreased immunity, appetite disorders, memory problems… and impaired vision (as a secondary affliction associated with fatigue) become our daily routine.

So is every computer monitor a kind of delayed ignition bomb that we should stay as far away from as possible? After all, we know that this is virtually impossible… Computer hardware experts are of the opinion that a computer monitor should be precisely selected for our needs, that is, depending on what we use the computer for. Before buying, you should lean over such parameters as matrix type, refresh rate, resolution, diagonal and aspect ratio.

If this information doesn’t tell us anything, let’s get the help of a salesman, or let’s talk the matter over with someone who is really passionate about electronic equipment.

With nose in smartphone

With the nose in… – or simply too close to the monitor. The closer the eyes are placed to a computer, tablet or smartphone monitor, the greater the effort of the muscles responsible for accommodating the lens. A so-called accommodative contracture (spasm, spasm) can occur. The smaller the screen, the greater the risk. What’s at stake.

The lens of the eye has the ability to accommodate and so we can easily see objects both near and far. Accommodating involves changing the shape and breaking power of the lens. These changes, are made possible by the proper tension of the circular fibers of the eye’s ciliary muscle. When looking at a distance, this muscle is relaxed, while when observing objects at close range it is tightened. Through accommodative contraction, after staring at a phone screen for a long time, for example, the eye is unable to adjust to looking at a distance, as a result of which, for some time after taking your eyes off the screen, distant objects are poorly visible.

If the source of the widespread belief that “computers spoil vision” is to be found somewhere, it is here: too frequent or long-lasting strenuous accommodative effort can be the cause of the onset and development of myopia. This happens especially in children who use smartphones without restraint. Initially, the so-called apparent (school) myopia appears, which can be attempted to control, for example, with drops that relax the eye muscles. Apparent myopia, if not caught in time, can turn into a permanent condition.

Workplace Ergonomics

We already have our dream computer, most often a mobile version, i.e. a laptop, and we are extremely happy that we can work or watch movies literally anywhere. Meanwhile, it would nevertheless be worthwhile to organize a maximally ergonomic workspace. If this organization is not up to us, because we work at the time and place designated by the employer (on a full-time basis, just…), remember that the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations regulate in great detail how an office workstation should be organized to minimize the negative impact of a computer screen.

Your employer must comply with these regulations. According to the ordinance of the Minister of Labor and Social Policy of 1.12.1998 on the safety and health of work at workplaces equipped with screen monitors, the regulations in this regard apply to any person employed by the employer who uses a screen monitor at work for at least half of the daily working time. So check that your workstation is ergonomic, that is, among other things:

• the distance between monitors is 60 cm, and between the worker and the back of another neighboring monitor – 80 cm,
• The distance between the worker and the monitor is between 40 cm and 75 cm,
• the screen monitor meets certain requirements: the characters on the screen should be clear and legible, and the image should be stable, the screen should be covered with an anti-reflection layer or equipped with a suitable filter, etc..,
• all the necessary devices needed for computer work are within your reach and do not force you to change your body position while using them.

It is the employer’s responsibility to organize your working hours in such a way that after every hour of uninterrupted work at the computer you have the opportunity to change to a type of work that does not strain your eyesight or is performed in a changed body position. If there are no such opportunities, he must allow you at least a 5-minute break every hour of work in front of the monitor screen

Whether you’re working from home or in a corporate office, remember that the top edge of the monitor should be in your line of sight, with the center about 10 cm below. This will keep your gaze pointed gently downward. This will reduce neck tension. In addition, covering the entire screen with your eyes, will only require eye movement, not the whole body.

It is very important that the monitor is located near a source of daylight. The optimal situation is when the monitor stands sideways to the window – then we avoid harmful reflections. Natural and daylight should not be combined.

Workplace ergonomics is also about optimal levels of air moisture, so that the mucous membrane of the eye is not exposed to dryness. Studies have shown that we blink less often when looking at a screen, which means the eye is less moistened. Optimal air moisture (45-55%) and the use of eye drops with sodium hyaluronate, the so-called artificial tears, will help us get through a day of working at the monitor without feeling sand under the eyelids, pinching and burning.

If you suffer from dry eye syndrome, taking care of the proper level of mucous membrane lubrication is a prerequisite for being able to work at the computer at all.

Exercises that benefit eyes in people who work a lot at the computer

Back in 1994, the American Academy of Ophthalmology defined a disease entity called CVS (Computer Vision Syndrome), or Computer Vision Syndrome, or if you prefer Eye Fatigue Syndrome Caused by Prolonged Computer Work. 75% of people who spend more than 2 hours a day in front of a computer are exposed to CSV. Nowadays, we can also encounter the term Office-Eye-Syndrome.

What are the symptoms of both syndromes?

• visual impairment
• eye pain
• itchy eyes
• dry eye syndrome
• headaches
• neck and shoulder pain, cramps

Being aware of the impact of ubiquitous computer monitors on our eyesight, we can, while working at the monitor (or entertaining ourselves with a smartphone), perform exercises to help accommodate and relieve our eyesight.

• After 20 minutes of looking at the monitor screen, take your eyes off the screen and look into the distance, preferably at something green.
• Move your gaze sequentially down, up, left and right. Do not move your head while doing so! Only your eyes move.
• Cover your eyes tightly with your hands. Stare into the darkness until you no longer see the light spots.

Glasses for computer work!

Are there special glasses for computer work? If you have glasses with glasses perfectly matched to your visual impairment, you can still ensure that they are coated with anti-reflective coating, whose task is to eliminate light reflections reflecting off the computer screen. An interesting novelty on the eyeglasses market is the Blue Resistant coating, offered increasingly as an add-on, or a coating hidden under another name to protect the eye from harmful blue-violet light.