AOA has Rx against CVS
The St. Louis-based American Optometric Association (AOA) has been studying the problem of computer vision syndrome (CVS) for years. It established a task force to help identify causes and cures, and educate governmental health and safety agencies about the seriousness of the problem. Here are some recommendations from the AOA for preventing and/or eliminating CVS:
• Keep your computer screen four to nine inches below eye level.
• If you spend a lot of time at the computer, keep it straight in front of you.
• Use drapes, shades, or blinds to control window lighting and glare. Vertical or horizontal blinds can be used to direct light away from the computer user and the computer.
• Create an adjustable workstation. That means an adjustable table and chair, an adjustable copyholder that fastens either to the desk or the computer, and, on the computer itself, a detachable keyboard, a screen that can be turned or tilted, and adjustable brightness and contrast controls.
• Try a glare-reduction filter.
Be sure your glasses meet the demands of your job. If you wear glasses for distance vision, reading, or both, they may not give you the most efficient vision for viewing your computer screen. Tell your eye doctor about your job task and measure your on-the-job seeing distances.
Take alternative task breaks throughout the day. Make phone calls or photocopies. Consult with co-workers. Do anything that doesn’t require your eyes to focus on something close.
Reduce room lighting to half-normal office levels. An easy way to do this is to remove half of the bulbs from ceiling fixtures. Use desk lamps for tasks that require more light.
Adjust your work area and your computer for your comfort. Most people prefer a work surface height of about 26 inches for computer use. Desks and tables are usually 29 inches high. Place your computer screen 16 to 30 inches from your eyes. Tilt the top of the screen away from you at a 10- to 20-degree angle.
[For additional information on CVS, contact: American Optometric Association, 243 N. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63141. Telephone: (314) 991-4100. Web site: www.aoanet.org.]
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