The Computer Vision Syndrome is a condition with complex number of symptoms relating to eye and posture with prolonged use of computers. CVS is of importance because of growing number of computer users and not knowing the correct way to sit infront of a computer and right way to care for the eye. The other problems associated with these are the low back pain, neck pain, headache, wrist pain etc. The computer screen forms images with pixels rather than the solid images which the eye used to see. The pixel needs extra focus to form an image and thus the effort.

Computer Vision Syndrome 

The CVS is a symptom complex consists of your vision and posture related problems due to
prolonged computer usage.

Causes

• It is caused by the differences in reactions of the eyes and brain while seeing thecharacters on the computer monitor screen. The printed pictures and letters on a newspaper or a magazine are fixed with high contrasts and well defined edges. But the picturesor written pages on the computer screen do not have sharp and well defined edges. Thesepictures are not fixed; they also have brightness at the center and low intensity at theedges.

• Your eyes do not maintain a focus on the screen and maintain with these images. Instead,they drift out to a point called resting point of accommodation. The eyes strain too muchto regain focus on the screen. This continuous flexing of the eyes and focusing of the eyemuscles create fatigue and the burning, tiresome feeling on the eyes.

• People who wear the bifocal lenses will have problem in viewing the lower and the higherhalf of the screen. This will make them to view up and down by adjusting their head andneck. This is a painful exercise.

• When you have the CVS, you will not blink enough. You will tend to open your eyes wide. The lighting of the office and the natural diffused sunlight falling on the screen maycause a glare and reflection on the monitor.

What to Do

• Take a break several times per hour. Take a look at the surrounding at varying distancefrom the computer. You may see a scene outside the window or the objects on the wall inside. Take a break about 15 minutes per hour.

• To avoid the glare and reflections on the monitor, position the computer at sides of the windows, not against or behind the window lights.

• Adjust the contrast of the monitor for a comfortable viewing. Monitor should be placed below the eye level.
• Adjust the window blinds in your room so that the sunlight is away from the screen andyour eyes. The over head lights should be with minimum brightness. The table lamp if anyshould not cause reflection on the monitor or shine on your eyes. You may attach a glare blocking hood or glare filter.
  

• The mouse and the key board should be placed below the elbow level, preferably on anextension board.
  

• The monitor should be kept a little low for easy reading just like in book reading.

• The bifocal lens users can go in for progressive lens.

An Exercise to Guard Your Eyes

• For every 20 minutes on the computer make a shift to see the objects at a 20 feet distance
  See the objects for 20 seconds
• Just blink 20 times for every 20 minutes of working on the computer
  Take a break once in an hour of working on your computer