And you’re not alone. According to the American Optometric Association, upwards of 8 out of 10 computer users report some type of eye strain at the computer. The problem is so prevalent it’s been given a name: Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).

The symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome include:

• eyes hurting or over-tired
• eyes burning or itching
• dry, or watery, eyes
• double vision
• blurry eyesight (either at the computer or in the distance)
• the need for glasses for the first time
• the need for stronger prescriptions
• headaches, neck, shoulder and back tension
• increased sensitivity to light

Using a computer does place a unique set of demands on your eyes. But it’s not inevitable for your eyes to hurt at the computer, or for you to experience eye strain at the computer, once you know how to use your eyes correctly for the task, and what to do at the first sign of tension or fatigue.

Saving your eyesight at the computer can be as simple as being aware of your vision in a new way. Knowing visual ergonomics and the simple keys to healthy computing should go a long way to alleviating the symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome.

Here are five keys to taking care of your eyes at the computer.

1. Fit you set up to you.

• Set up your computer so that you can look beyond the screen. If at all possible, don’t be in the corner, or face a wall.
• Sit directly in front of computer, not off to one side or the other.
• Sit 18-24 inches away from the screen
• Sit high enough so that your line of sight is level with or higher than the top of the screen
• Keep your wrists level with or below your elbows. Never bend your wrists up when typing
• Your knees should be below the level of your hips
• Place your feet on the floor. Use a footrest if your feet don’t reach the floor.

2. Look away from the screen regularly.

Focusing on an object far away, such as the water cooler down the hall or a tree outdoors, is a simple stretching exercise for eye muscles. Quickly shift your focus from near to far 3-4 times.

A brief look into the distance every 2 to 3 minutes prevents the build-up of visual stress and discomfort and keeps your eyes healthy and active.

These frequent micro-breaks offer much more relief to your eyes than an hourly break. A break every hour – however long it might be – does not provide all the relief and rest that your eyes need. Micro-breaks are more effective and beneficial.

Extended staring at a computer screen inevitably creates fatigue, tension and eye problems. Failing to take short vision breaks is one of the major factors leading to eye strain and eye problems for computer users.

Micro vision break tip: Look up and focus on the furthest object in the distance. Be aware of objects around you in your periphery. Take a deep breath. Relax as you exhale. Blink a couple of times. Shift your vision back to the screen and re-focus. (Three near-to-far shifts per break are recommended. This should take about 5 seconds.)

Mirror tip: If your computer is in a corner or if you work in a small space, place a small mirror on top of your monitor or on your desk. Use the mirror to give your eyes a distant view by looking through the mirror and focusing on objects that you see behind you.

3. Minimize glare on the screen.

You can detect a potential glare problem by turning on the lights in the room that you normally would use – before turning on your computer. If you see any images or reflections on the (turned-off) screen, you’ve got a glare problem.

To reduce or minimize glare, experiment by:

• Moving the screen to a better location, if possible
• Tilting the screen
• Moving objects that reflect onto the screen
• Covering windows to block sunlight
• Turning off or lowering offending lights
• Covering fluorescent lights with egg-crate baffles
• Turning your computer so the screen is perpendicular to overhead fluorescent lights.

It may be impossible to eliminate glare altogether, in which case you might consider using an anti-glare screen.

4. Use friendly lighting.

Bright fluorescent lights are a poor choice. Dimmer lights are better. Have a desk lamp for reading and doing other close work at your desk, but make sure it doesn’t reflect on the screen.

Most problems are caused by the quantity of the light (not by fluorescence itself). If possible, turn off every other fluorescent fixture and light your desk with a 100-watt bulb.

Standing lamps that direct light at the ceiling provide the best indirect light. If there is no dimmer available, a 3-way fixture is recommended so you can set the light at the most comfortable level.

You also need to light any original copy that you are working from. A desk lamp with an adjustable neck works well. Just make sure that this light doesn’t distract you or spill onto your screen.

Hard copy tip: Ideally, you want your copy on the same vertical plane as the screen. Working side to side is preferable to looking from the screen down to your copy and then back up again. Alternate moving the written material that you work from to the left and right of the screen during the day. The eye movements required to shift back and forth from left to right and from screen to copy help reduce visual stress and enhance your visual skills.

5. Blink more often.

Computer rooms are notoriously dry, and this may be one reason why your eyes hurt at the computer. Blinking is your body’s natural way of lubricating your eyes and preventing dry eyes. Normally the eye blinks 10-12 times a minute.

Most people do not blink regularly, especially when concentrating intently, or when under pressure. They keep their eyes wide open – fixed – and blinking decreases. Decreased blinking often causes redness, burning and itching of the eyes, particularly for those who use contact lenses.

Blinking lubricates and cleanses the eyes, keeping them moist for clear vision and comfort. Blinking also helps relax the facial muscles and forehead, countering the tendency to furrow one’s brow and create tension.

Hydrate by drinking enough water. If absolutely necessary, use a natural eye drop. Similasan or PrimaVu are the recommended brands.

Blinking tip: Move only your eyelids – not your forehead, face or cheeks – when you blink. Make sure you close your eyes all the way without effort and that both the upper and lower lids touch gently. Blink lightly once every 3 to 5 seconds. Or, take 10-20 blinks in this way just as your eyes start to feel dry, tired or itchy.

These five tips should be enough to keep you from feeling eye strain at the computer. It could be very simple to not let your eyes hurt at the computer.

But sometimes these tips are not enough. The causes of the blurred vision and visual stress might go deeper. Make sure you have your eyes checked at least once a year, and make sure that you are using the correct prescription for computer use – it’s not always the same as your regular prescription.

The book Total Health at the Computer goes into more depth about healthy computing tips, choosing the right kind of glasses for computer use and quick routines that will stop your eyes from hurting at the computer.

For more information, visit www.bettervision.com.

And, if you can read the bottom line, your vision is perfect. If you can’t, you need glasses. Right?

Not necessarily!

Good vision is much more than just 20/20.

Even if your glasses or contacts give you 20/20, other deficiencies may still exist in your visual system that wouldn’t be caught during an eye test that only checked visual acuity (which line on the eye chart you can read).

These other visual problems might cause some of the following symptoms: double vision, headaches, tiredness, poor depth perception, difficulty concentrating while reading, eyestrain, burning, stinging, dry eyes, and more.

When these other deficiencies aren’t dealt with, they could eventually lead to problems with acuity. So a person could end up needing glasses (or stronger glasses) when the real causes of the problem are going uncorrected.

Using glasses that were prescribed after only a test for distance or near-point acuity could very likely lead to further visual stress. If there are other undetected visual problems that remain unaddressed, this could lead to prescriptions that get stronger and stronger, deteriorating vision and a general feeling of discomfort and fatigue. All of which could set the stage for even more serious eye problems to develop.

That’s why it is so important to get a complete and thorough examination from an eye doctor who understands the interconnectedness of all aspects of vision.

Eye doctors that are trained in a holistic understanding of vision are known as behavioral optometrists.

A behavioral optometrist believes that how you see is the result of how you have learned to use your eyes. He/she also believes that visual skills — including how clearly you can see — can be enhanced through exercise, relaxation and training. He/she has received specialized training and can give you a comprehensive examination that covers all the visual skills.

Of course, a behavioral optometrist, like a regular optometrist, can prescribe glasses and contacts. In addition, a behavioral optometrist can provide a program of training that improves overall visual functioning.

Here is a list of the vision checks and tests that a behavioral optometrist will most likely perform during the first visit:

1. Measure distance vision with an eye chart.
2. Determine how your eyes function at close range.
3. Measure the teamwork between your eyes and your brain.
4. See how smoothly your eyes move from point to point.
5. See how smoothly and easily your eyes follow a moving target.
6. See how easily each eye can shift focus from near to far.
7. Screen for medical conditions like glaucoma and cataracts.

Finding A Behavioral Optometrist

The Cambridge Institute for Better Vision maintains a nationwide Select Referral List of hundreds of behavioral optometrists. For help in finding one in your area, go to: www.bettervision.com.

Also, there are two professional organizations for behavioral optometrists: The College of Optometrists in Vision Development (www.covd.org) and the Optometric Extension Program Foundation (www.oep.org)

However you find a behavioral optometrist, the most important element is to find one who not only agrees with the holistic eye practices of the Cambridge Institute for Better Vision, but also uses them in some way in his or her practice.

When you have the name of someone, it is perfectly reasonable to phone the doctor and ask whether he or she does the complete series of tests described above.

Some behavioral optometrists also offer training sessions to correct any underlying visual deficiencies that might be found during the examination.

Many behavioral optometrists believe, as does the Cambridge Institute, that the use of an under-corrected prescription is better for the eyes.

Instead of reading the bottom line on the eye chart, with an under-corrected prescription you’ll see one or two lines higher. This under-corrected prescription will give you enough clarity for most activities (including driving), but it will leave “room” for your brain and eyes to still work together in the process of seeing. An under-corrected prescription may also prevent you from needing stronger and stronger glasses year after year.

If you are using a vision improvement system like The Program for Better Vision, your eyes can see better and better. In this case, the prescription that was under-corrected when you first got it, will eventually become too strong as your natural eyesight gets better.

Then it’s time to see the behavioral optometrist again, but this time to get a weaker pair of glasses!

Many people – perhaps even you – are skeptical that it’s possible to see better without glasses or contacts. Much of this skepticism is rooted in misunderstanding. There are five commonly held beliefs that lead people to think that eyesight cannot be improved.

That’s why I call them myths – they’re not truthful, and they don’t accurately represent what’s going on in your eyes. Simply dispelling these myths won’t improve your vision, but once you change your mind about your eyes you’ll be willing to put the full power of The Program for Better Vision to work for you.

Eye Muscles Weak?

Right at the top of the list of the 5 Vision Myths is the one that says that poor vision is caused by weak eye muscles. Somehow, this myth goes, eye muscles get weak and the weaker they get, the stronger your glasses – and the worse your vision. In fact, the opposite is actually true:

Whether you have perfect vision or lousy sight, your eye muscles are plenty strong enough for you to see clearly.

As noted eye doctor, Dr Richard Kavner says in his groundbreaking book, Total Vision, “we know that each eye muscle has at least 50 to 100 times the strength it needs.” There are six muscles that surround and move your eyes. They move your eyes up, down, to the right and to the left. When you look at something up close they turn the eyes in (converge) and when you look at a distant object they turn the eyes out (diverge).

Or Tense, Stiff and Rigid?

Tension in these muscles causes eye movements to become more rigid and less flexible, preventing them from moving in a natural, fluid manner. Instead, their movements become stiff, tense and restricted. Over time, this tension, rigidity and inflexibility build up and limiting visual patterns and habits get established, effecting how clearly you can see.

But the primary source of the problem is the underlying patterns and habits – how the eye muscles are used over time. The eyes – just like any other part of your body – can be retrained to function with new, more effective patterns. As this retraining occurs, the eye muscles become more flexible, they gain better tone and they work together in a more fluid, coordinated manner. Want to experience some of the tension that’s in your eye muscles – and start to let it go?

TRY THIS NOW

Here’s an ancient yoga exercise that you’ll also find in The Program for Better Vision:

1. Close your eyes, relax your eyelids, forehead and face. Keep your neck and head still. Breathe easily and regularly.
   
2. Imagine you’re facing a clock, with your nose at its center. As you stretch your eyes all the way up, you can just barely see the number 12 at the top of this imaginary clock. (Remember, your eyes are closed.)
   
3. Starting at the number 12, rotate your eyes clockwise in a circular motion, around the clock. Stretch your eyes as you rotate them, but don’t strain or force the movements.
   
4. Repeat for 10-20 clockwise circles.
   
5. Change direction and make 10-20 circles in a counter-clockwise direction.
   

Most people carry at least some tension and rigidity in these muscles. Here’s how you can tell:

1. Your eyes unconsciously jump out of your control.
   
2. Sections of the rotation where the movements feel stiffer, more tense or stuck.
   
3. Holding your breath is a sign of tension. Remember to breathe!
   

Where in the movements did your muscles tense up? When did they jump out of control? What parts of the movements were not smooth? With practice, you’ll be able to make all parts of the circular movement smooth and easy.

Eye Stretches is an ancient yoga exercise, so you may have heard of it already. By itself, it won’t give you perfect vision, but it definitely has its place in a total system of vision improvement. That’s why it’s one of 24 different exercises, techniques and processes that you’ll find in The Program for Better Vision. In addition to the basic Eye Stretches, in The Program for Better Vision you’ll also learn powerful variations and ways to use it to attack specific problems, like nearsightedness and astigmatism.

Martin Sussman, president and founder of the Cambridge Institute for Better Vision and developer of the world’s #1 Best-selling Program for Better Vision, is also co-author of Total Health at the Computer. Mr. Sussman is a firm believer that different vision problems require different solutions. You can see everything he believes is helpful to the eyes by visiting www.bettervision.com

A 55 year old woman had vision in the right eye of 60 per cent normal. In the left eye she was only able to count fingers. The ophthalmoscope revealed a central opacity in the right eye, while the left eye was totally clouded. After one month of nutritional therapy, the vision in the right eye had improved to 150 per cent of normal (ie, still abnormal but much improved) while vision in the left eye had improved to 15 per cent of normal. The media in the right eye was completely clear.Another man, aged 32, had begun having cataract three weeks before being seen. His vision in his right eye had fallen to 20 per cent of normal, while the vision in the left eye was 200 per cent of normal. The opacity in the right eye was “milky” as is so often the case with rapid developing cataract. After four weeks of nutritional therapy, the vision in the right eye had improved to 100 per cent of normal. The ophthalmoscope revealed that the media in the right eye was quite clear.

A little girl, aged 9, had cataracts which had developed three weeks before she was seen by Mr Evans. The child was very underfed. The parent had taken the child to the chemist because the pupil of the right eye was white, for which the chemist gave her daughter antibiotics. After trying this for three weeks, and finding the the whiteness was getting worse, the mother took the child to our eye centre. The antibiotics no doubt further reduced an already low nutritional status. The vision in that eye was so bad that the child could perceive hand movements only, while the other eye had perfect sight. The ophthalmoscope revealed a full aperture milky cataract in the right eye.

After four weeks of therapy the vision had improved to 16.7 per cent normal. The refraction of the eye, however, brought the vision up to normal. This case demonstrates how nutritional deficiency is often the sole cause of cataract even in children and that once a cataract has been sorted out nutritionally there is also a marked reduction of myopia, which suggests that a basic flattening of the lens results from malnutrition.

A 60 year old man was able to count fingers only in his right eye, while his left eye had 10 per cent normal vision. A full aperture cataract covered each eye. Two weeks of nutritional therapy raised the visual acuity in the right eye to 20 per cent of normal and 30 per cent of normal in the right eye.

An 80 year old man had a full aperture cataract in each eye, resulting in a vision in each eye of 10 per cent normal. Two weeks of nutritional therapy raised the vision in each eye to 50 per cent of normal.

The eye specialist diagnosed inflammation, which was causing the pressure and prescribed beta blockers to relieve pressure and full strength steroid drops, to be taken every 10 minutes for 48 hours, then every half hour for 24 hours, and finally every hour until the next appointment, which was to be after two weeks. When I queried the frequency of treatment, I was told the best course of treatment was to hit it hard. After two days I experienced blurring of vision, but continued the treatment. After one week “clouds” of black spots could be seen, which I subsequently learned are called “floaters”. I now understand a posterior vitreous detachment had occurred in the left eye at that time.

On my second visit I was told by the eye specialist that the chest X-ray he had sent me for suggested the disease called sarcoidosis. A visit to a chest specialist and a bronchoscopy confirmed the diagnosis. High doses of oral steroids were prescribed for an indefinite period. When I asked what sarcoidosis was, I was told “inflammation of the body”.

After the diagnosis of sarcoidosis and eye trauma and the prospect of long term oral and topical steroids I began to read in desperation all I could about sarcoidosis and anything related. I had all the listed systems, which included arthritic type pains and fevers, amongst many others.

One of the books I read concerned allergies. I visited a specialist, who put me on an elimination diet, which lasted 10 days. My pains completely disappeared. The specialist then determined I had systemic candida, the symptoms for which are the same as sarcoidosis.

As strongly advised at this time by alternative medical practitioners, I decided to stop the use of topical eye drops, albeit too late. Both eyes now have steroid induced toxic cataracts, as well as numerous floaters. J C, Newbury, Berks.

They found that users were almost twice as likely to develop posterior subcapsular cataracts as nonusers; while the chances of developing nuclear cataracts were around 50 per cent greater.

The research, carried out among 3654 people from the Blue Mountains region of Australia, aged between 49 and 97, found that the risk increased with the length of time and the size of dose; the group at highest risk were those with a lifetime dose of 2000 mg (N Engl J Med 1997; 377: 8-14).

Some doctors have been surprised by the findings the Blue Mountain study is the first to indicate a link between the drug and cataracts and say the doses tested in the study are far higher than a normal asthma patient would require.

Nonetheless, the drug has been associated with conjunctivitis in earlier studies, although the most common reaction is headache, which can be experienced by up to a third of all users. The next most common reaction is pharyngitis (throat infection and inflammation) and coughing. Others include nasal burning, pain, muscle pain and tinnitus.

But the major worry is for asthma patients who switch from a systemically active corticosteroid to some of the aerosol corticosteroids. Some have died from adrenal insufficiency caused by the change.

Other problems have included localized infections of Candida albicans.

The Blue Mountain research team say their findings are based mainly on beclomethasone, as this was more readily available at the time. The other popular inhaled corticosteroid, budesonide, would also have produced similar results if it had been tested for long enough, they say.

So what do you do next? You have the option of surgery – or you could suggest that he go on a rollercoaster ride.

Rollercoasters could become standard treatment after one 19-year-old man, with just such a displaced lens, went on one of Europe’s largest rollercoaster rides on the weekend before he was due to go in for surgery.

The ride reached a height of 73 m and a speed of 130 km, at which point, the rider is exposed to a 4G force. After he came off the ride, he noticed that his vision was normal and that his pupil had returned to its usual shape (N Engl J Med, 2003; 349: 1094-6).

Later studies show that bilberries do indeed improve vision (Minerva Oftalmol, 1979; 21: 283-5; Ann Ottalmol Clin Ocul, 1966; 92: 595-607), protect against cataracts (Ann Ottalmol Clin Ocul, 1989; 115: 109), improve blood flow throughout the tiniest vessels in the body (Gazz Med Ital, 1980; 139: 485-91; Minerva Cardioangiol, 1978; 25: 255-76) and may reduce inflammation.

Try taking 480-600 mg per day of an extract standardised to 25 per cent anthocyanosides, in capsules or tablets.

Ginkgo biloba may help treat early-stage macular degeneration (Presse Med, 1986; 15: 1556-8), although published studies are few and far between. Many healthcare professionals recommend 120-240 mg/day of a standardised extract (24 per cent Ginkgo flavone glycosides and 6 per cent terpene lactones) in capsules or tablets.

It’s true that medicine is concerned that UV light causes cataracts, although most sunglasses block UVA and B spectrum light as well.

It’s been posited that the brain needs full-spectrum sunlight to stimulate the pathways and organs in the brain, and some specialists have found that sunglasses affect the eyes’ natural reflexes and interfere with vital biological interactions.

So what’s the answer? As usual, it’s to be found in the question. It is important to protect the eyes but, like the sun, put your hat on.

* In a recent study, one third of 773 individuals involved in a road accident as a driver, bicycle rider or pedestrian experienced some level of anxiety, depression, fear of travel or post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 3 to 12 months later and, in most cases, persisted. After one year, about half the group had phobic travel anxiety, nearly 60 per cent had general anxiety, and half were diagnosed with PTSD (Am J Psychiatry, 2001; 158: 1231-8).

* New research in nearly 1300 men suggests that, during a severe asthma attack, men are less likely than women to notice the symptoms of the attack. The reason for this is unclear, but it may be that men perceive less discomfort because of greater lung size and muscle strength, or because they generally develop asthma at an earlier age than women. Men also tend to only seek medical attention when symptoms are too severe to ignore, the researchers noted (Ann Emerg Med, 2001; 38: 123-8).

* What’s lurking in that paddling pool? Physicians in Canada have found the first outbreak of a new type of Pseudomonas infection called ‘hot foot syndrome’. This discovery was made when 40 children, aged 2 to 15, developed intense pain in the soles of their feet within 40 hours of using the same wading pool. A hot, red swelling began after a few hours, along with pain so severe that the children were unable to stand up. Three children were given oral cephalexin (an antibiotic) while the others were treated with cold compresses, analgesics and foot elevation. In all cases, the condition resolved within 14 days, although it recurred in three children after they revisited the same pool (N Engl J Med, 2001; 345: 335-8).