We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Hardware

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is CVS (Computer Vision Syndrome)?

By R. Kayne
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 14,389
Share

Some experts believe that anyone who stares at a computer screen for more than two hours a day has likely experienced Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) to some degree. Blurred vision, itchy dry eyes, headaches and neck strain are just a few of the symptoms, according to the American Optometric Association. The problem lies in the difference between images on a computer screen and real-world images. The human eye is designed to focus on real-world objects, which by nature have clearly defined boundaries. Even print on a page, for example, displays sharp borders and high contrast that extends to the letters’ edges.

Conversely, a computer screen creates letters by grouping dots or colored pixels closely together. Zooming in on a computerized letter will reveal that rounded or curved edges are not smooth and solid, but irregular and indistinct. The eyes have a harder time maintaining focus on a computer display for this reason, and involuntarily drift to what is termed “the resting point of accommodation." You might equate this with “going into a daze,” or “staring at nothing,” but on the computer it happens briefly and repeatedly as the eyes strain to regain better focus. The strain becomes greater as more hours pass, leading to fatigue and CVS.

Many of the other symptoms of CVS are by-products of this tendency to attempt to pull computerized letters into better focus. When your eyes are straining to focus, they have a tendency to blink less, which results in dryness and itchiness. Burning, tearing, headaches and sensitivity to light are other symptoms of CVS. Two other contributors to CVS are glare and, if using a cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor, ultra-violet (UV) radiation. Experts now believe glare and overexposure to UV rays can contribute to cataracts as we age.

Luckily, there are steps everyone can take to combat CVS. Many optometrists today offer computer vision tests. This can help people who do not have corrected vision as well. If you suffer from CVS, this test will let you know if you would benefit from simple magnification or a slight prescription. Proprietary computer glasses can relieve much of the fatigue of CVS.

It is important to note that computers sit at a distance that reading glasses and bifocals are not intended to correct, as reading material is held closer. The display also sits higher than reading material held in the hands, making bifocals difficult to use without tipping the head back, creating shoulder and neck strain. By testing for computer vision, your optometrist can give you the perfect prescription for using your computer to reduce symptoms of CVS. When the display is brought into into clearer focus, the eye muscles will not have to work as hard.

Computer glasses, whether they contain a prescription or not, can also be polarized to eliminate glare. If you use a CRT monitor, consider upgrading to an LCD or flat panel display. These displays do not emit UV radiation. If you must use a CRT monitor, include filters for UV blockage in your computer glasses.

After-market display filter screens can also help reduce CVS symptoms by cutting glare and improving contrast. However, the matte finish anti-glare screen has the effect of making the screen less crisp by scattering light off the rough surface. A smooth anti-glare screen that uses a chemical coating to cut glare cuts less glare, but maintains a sharper picture. This type of anti-glare computer screen, along with anti-glare computer glasses, might achieve the best result. The filter screens intended for use with CRT monitors can block a good portion of UV rays as well.

According to some estimates, CVS affects some 125 million Americans. As more people spend longer hours on computers, computer glasses might become as commonplace as sunglasses. If they provide relief from CVS, they are an investment well worth making.

Share
EasyTechJunkie is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
By anon158520 — On Mar 07, 2011

Yeah I think that I'm having CVS problems, going to the eye doctor soon though.

By anon136570 — On Dec 23, 2010

Are you sure LCD panels do not emit UV?

By Fiorite — On Jul 11, 2010

@ Parmnparsley- I would also like to add that you should not forget to blink. You would be surprised at how long someone can stare at a screen without blinking. Making a conscious effort to blink will keep your eyes lubricated and your vision sharp.

By parmnparsley — On Jul 11, 2010

@ Pelestears- It is also a good idea to do eye exercises that reduce eyestrain, and to get up and stretch every hour or so. Simply getting up to get something to drink is important in reducing neck and back strain. Sitting in an ergonomic chair will also help reduce hunching which causes excess strain on the neck and back.

You can do a simple exercise to reduce eyestrain in less than three minutes. Hold your hand over one eye and look left, right, up, and down, holding for 15 seconds in each position. When you are doing this exercise, look as far in each direction as you can and focus on one thing for the entire 15 seconds. Cover the other eye and repeat. You will notice that your vision immediately becomes clearer.

By PelesTears — On Jul 11, 2010

I spend a lot of time on the computer and I have definitely experienced symptoms of computer vision syndrome. I have discovered a few things that will prevent some of the symptoms.

One thing I try to do is match my screen brightness to the ambient light. Spending a lot of time glaring into a bright computer screen in a dimly lit room gives me blurred vision and mild tunnel vision. If I either turn on a light or turn down my screens brightness, my eyes last much longer.

I will also look at an object that is far away every half hour or so and try to focus on it for a few minutes. This also helps with the blurred vision.

Share
https://www.easytechjunkie.com/what-is-cvs-computer-vision-syndrome.htm
Copy this link
EasyTechJunkie, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

EasyTechJunkie, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.