Glasses For Computer Workers
PCs are universal, at home, at work and at school. Most of us seem to spend a large part of our days squinting at a monitor and with more of our shopping and entertainment being driven by the Internet, the time we spend on the computer is surely going to increase.For many that’s not a problem. But if you spend more than two hours at a computer each day, especially if you already wear glasses, it’s likely that you will experience symptoms of what some have termed Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).
CVS is the result of several factors.Decreased blinking while you’re focusing on a computer screen is also thought to be a factor. Studies have shown that the blink rate decreases to as low as 6–8 blinks per minute if you’re focused on a computer display (the normal blink rate is 16-20 per minute).This leads to dry eyes and the focusing effort needed for long hours puts strain on the ciliary muscles of the eye. The most common symptoms of CVS include headaches, focusing difficulties, burning eyes, tired eyes, general eyestrain, double vision, blurred vision, light sensitivity, and neck pain.
CVS can also accelerate the early onset of a condition called presbyopia (usually associated with aging) where you experience difficulty reading fine print, particularly in low light conditions, eyestrain or momentarily blurred vision when shifting between viewing distances.
The good news is that it is relatively simple to ease these symptoms. It may sound silly, but try blinking more often!f you are not a glasses wearer, simple changes like making sure the screen is clean, correctly positioned, and set up properly will make a difference.
If you do wear glasses, then ensuring your lenses are clean and smear free will help to reduce glare and reflections. Anti-Reflective coatings (usually available at no charge if you ask for it through suppliers like SelectSpecs.com) will eliminate reflections and ensure clear vision day or night.Anti-Reflective coatings also have the cosmetic advantage of making the lenses of your glasses appear almost non-existent, so your eyes look more natural.
Whether you wear glasses of not, you can improve your vision at work by having regular eye examinations, taking frequent breaks to give your eyes a rest every 20 minutes or so and avoiding glare or bright reflections on the screen. If you are using a CRT display, consider changing to an LCD screen.Get at least a 19 inch TFT screen with the highest resolution possible and a dot pitch of .28 mm or smaller.There’s no “flicker” that you get with CRT monitors and they usually have anti-reflective screen surfaces.
The even better news is that If you you use a computer or VDU screen on a regular basis (i.e. for at least an hour most days), then according to the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, your employer is obliged to pay for regular eye examinations. The employer may have an arrangement with a local optometrist or they may refund you the cost of an examination. If that examination reveals that you require glasses specifically for Display Screen Equipment use, your employer must also pay for budget glasses.
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