Eyesight Problems and Computer Use

Computers are a regular part of most of our daily lives. Effectively we would not be able to do our work, or organize our private lives, as we do now if we were deprived of them. The difficulty though is that too much usage can have some adverse health impacts.

One area of concern has been the effect on our eyesight. Some recent research has even gone so far as to suggest a linkage between heavy computer use and glaucoma, especially if you are already short-sighted.

If you start to feel tired, see spots or need to rub your eyes frequently then you need to take a break from the computer. One problem with modern computer games is not only are they fun but the quality of graphics can add to eye strain if you play too much. A warning sign is if you go to bad and you feel as if you can see light even after you close your eyes.

Also if your eyes become tired, then you are more likely to hunch over the computer (you try to compensate by getting closer to the screen). In consequence tired eyes then often lead to sore shoulders and back pain.

You can help minimize the adverse effects of computers on your eyesight by:

Ensuring the screen is located at right angles to the window (or in some way making sure that you are not looking at the screen through the reflected glare of sunlight);

Adjust the brightness controls so you are comfortable;

If you see the screen start to flicker that could either be a warning that you are becoming tired or you may be to adjust the monitor;

No matter how engrossing the task, don't forget to blink '" this will help keep your eyes moist;

Your overall body posture will also determine how quickly you become tired when using a computer;

Take breaks.

The last piece of advice is the most critical. Modern computers are well designed from an ergonomic point of view so are less likely to cause significant problems than their counterparts in the 1990s. Nonetheless, at some stage we all reach the point where we have overdone our usage. The best approach is to recognize this in advance, if not then treat being tired as a strong warning to take a reasonably long break '" no matter how tempting it is to continue working to complete a particular job.