We spend more time than ever staring at screens. In fact, the average American adult spends about eight and a half hours a day looking at a screen.
Prolonged screen use can lead to a condition known as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). CVS is a type of digital eye strain that affects millions of people.
You might be dealing with CVS if you’ve ever experienced eye discomfort, headaches, or blurred vision after long hours staring at a screen.
This guide will explore everything we know about CVS: its causes, risk factors, how it’s diagnosed, and practical ways to prevent and manage it.
What is Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS)?
Computer Vision Syndrome is an umbrella term for all vision and eye issues caused by screen use. Unlike reading a book or looking at printed materials, digital screens put more strain on our eyes and cause unique eye problems. Glare, frequent refocusing, and blue light exposure–all aspects of screens–are leading causes of CVS issues.
Common symptoms of CVS
The most common symptoms of CVS are also common symptoms for other issues. The most significant indicator of CVS is a combination of symptoms and frequent screen use.
If you experience the following, you might have Computer Vision Syndrome:
- Eye strain and discomfort
- Headaches
- Blurred or double vision
- Dry, irritated, or red eyes
- Difficulty focusing
- Neck, shoulder, or back pain
CVS symptoms are relatively straightforward and are usually caused by a handful of typical screen time pitfalls.
Causes of Computer Vision Syndrome
Computers, tablets, phones, e-readers, and handheld video games can all cause CVS. A screen causes some symptoms, and your environment or other eye issues cause others.
One or more of the following causes can be the culprit behind CVS.
Prolonged Screen Time
Spending hours staring at a screen without breaks can fatigue the eyes and lead to strain. Until modern history, humans didn’t spend much time looking at artificial light or focusing intently on a tiny area. Our eyes can become strained from looking at screens for a long time. It is more work for our eyes than it might seem!
Poor Lighting
Stark differences in light between our screens and the area behind them create a contrast that our eyes must work harder to process. Working in an overly bright or dimly lit environment can contribute to eye discomfort.
Glare
Just like inadequate lighting, screen glare increases the strain on our eyes. When natural or artificial light reflects off our screens, it creates glare or reflections. As a result, we tend to squint more to see clearly, leading to eye strain and headaches.
Blue Light Exposure
All screens emit blue light, which comes from the LED lights used in almost every electronic device today. Blue light causes eye strain because it scatters more quickly than other types of light, causing our eyes to lose focus.
Blue light has also been linked to dry eyes and sleep issues. Dry eyes and eye discomfort from a lack of sleep can contribute to CVS.
Improper Viewing Distance and Angle
Our eyes can be picky. Sitting too close or too far away from a screen can cause eye strain or discomfort. Sitting at an awkward angle can also impact eye health.
Any time we view a screen in a way that requires our eyes to work harder to see, we increase our risk of contracting a CVS disease or issue.
Uncorrected Vision Problems
People with nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, or presbyopia may experience worsened CVS symptoms if they don’t use corrective eyewear.
Risk Factors for CVS
Anyone who uses digital devices is at risk of developing CVS. However, certain factors increase the likelihood of developing CVS. The more risk factors you have, the higher your chances of experiencing eye strain and CVS.
The most common risk factors include:
- Those who frequently use screens Includes office workers, students, and gamers who spend extended hours on screens.
- People with pre-existing vision problems: Uncorrected vision issues can worsen CVS symptoms.
- Poor workstation ergonomics: Poorly positioned screens and lousy lighting can lead to CVS
- Infrequent blinking: People blink less when looking at screens, leading to dry eyes. Dry eyes can contribute to eye discomfort and CVS.
- Children and teenagers: Adults aren’t the only ones at risk for CVS. Younger individuals may be at higher risk because they use screens for long periods without breaks.
How is CVS Diagnosed?
If you experience persistent eye discomfort, an eye care professional can diagnose CVS through a comprehensive eye exam. The exam will include your medical history and multiple tests.
CVS symptoms are also seen in other common eye issues, so an optometrist will want to ensure that you don’t have any other underlying problems causing discomfort.
Medical History Review
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, screen usage habits, and medical history to better understand your condition. They will want to know when you feel symptoms, how often you experience them, and if you have any preexisting conditions that can lead to declining eye health.
Visual Acuity and Refraction Tests
Both visual acuity and refraction tests measure how well you can see at different distances to detect underlying vision issues. Undiagnosed vision issues can cause CVS, and a vision test can diagnose or rule out other conditions that require corrective lenses.
These tests can also ensure you have the right prescription if you already use glasses or contacts. Our eyes can change over time, and having a weaker or stronger prescription than necessary can lead to Computer Vision Syndrome.
Focus and Eye Movement Tests
These tests evaluate how well your eyes work together and adjust focus between near and distant objects. If your eyes struggle to adapt or don’t work well together, you will experience increased eye strain. Solving any focus or movement issues can help with discomfort and lower your risk of CVS.
Tear Film Evaluation
Since dry eyes are a common CVS indicator, your doctor may check whether your eyes produce enough moisture.
There are multiple tear film tests your optometrist might choose to use. Most use a dye to help measure tear production over a set amount of time.
How to Prevent and Treat CVS
Computer Vision Syndrome is preventable and easy to treat if you contract it. Prevention and treatment require the same lifestyle changes.
Follow the 20-20-20 Rule
Everyone should follow the 20-20-20 rule, no matter how often they use screens. It is easy and great for eye health.
Anytime you use a screen, take a break every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This gives your eyes a chance to relax and prevents eye strain.
Adjust Your Screen Settings
Chances are high that you aren’t optimizing your screen settings to help your eyes. It is very common for people to stick to the same settings, no matter their environment.
You can increase the size of your text to make reading easier. Even if you don’t need a larger size, try it out. You might find that you were straining to read smaller text and didn’t even realize it.
You can also adjust the contrast of your screen to help your eyes. Higher contrast color schemes are easier on our eyes.
Changing your screen brightness to match the level of light in your room is another easy change that will cause less eye strain.
Optimize Your Workstation
Creating a comfortable work setup will help your eyes and neck. You can adjust the placement of your screen or chair to optimize comfort.
The best position for a screen is about 20-28 inches from your eyes. This is easy to do with a screen that doesn’t move, such as a computer monitor. However, it can be harder to maintain that distance with a phone or tablet that you frequently move.
The placement of the top of the screen is also essential. Looking down or up too much can cause neck strain. To minimize unnecessary neck movement, keep your screen at or near your eye level.
Use Proper Lighting
Avoid working in overly bright or dim settings. If you work outside the home, you may not have control over your entire lighting scheme, but you can make some minor adjustments at your desk that will help.
If your work setting is too dim you can bring in an adjustable lamp to help brighten your space. If your workspace is too bright, you can get blinds or a window cover to block natural light. You can also try adding dark colors to your workspace to help absorb some of the brightness.
Blink More Often
This suggestion seems odd, but we all blink less often when we look at screens. Make a conscious effort to blink frequently to prevent dry eyes and discomfort.
If you’re struggling to remember to blink more often, you can create a game or another reminder to help you. You can blink at the end of every paragraph you read, when you answer the phone, or when you hear a song’s chorus. Find something you do often and habit bundle so you subconsciously blink every time you do that activity.
Use Blue Light Filters or Computer Glasses
Consider wearing blue light-filtering glasses or enabling night mode on your devices to minimize eye strain. Special computer glasses can also help reduce glare and optimize focus when using screens. You can find a pair that filters blue light and reduces glare in the same lens.
Take Regular Breaks
In addition to exercising the 20-20-20 rule, stand up, stretch, and give your eyes a break from the screen every hour. This will help more than your eye health.
When to See a Doctor
With the increased use of digital devices, Computer Vision Syndrome is becoming a common problem. However, minor adjustments can significantly reduce symptoms and protect eye health.
If CVS symptoms persist despite lifestyle changes, see an eye doctor. They will help determine if you have another condition or need a more aggressive plan to alleviate your CVS symptoms.
