Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is the most common, and most overlooked, computer related injury around today. While not as severe as carpal tunnel syndrome, CVS is characterized by headaches, blurred vision, neck pain, fatigue, eye strain, dry, irritated eyes, and difficulty refocusing the eyes.

Fortunately, with just a few easy changes to your daily habits and your office, you can protect your eyes and stop CVS in its tracks. You might even be able to improve your feng shui!

Four steps to saving your eyes from CVS:

1. Change The Lighting – Glare and other constraints on your ability to read the screen such as dust or hard to read text can put you at a much greater risk for CVS. Identify the sources of glare in your office and correct them. Sometimes simple changes such as closing blinds or turning down lights can make it significantly easier to read your screen. However, never work in total darkness as that will also put significant strain on your eyes. Be sure to clean your monitor often, adjust the brightness on your monitor, and change the zoom on your monitor as needed.
2. Reposition Your Monitor – Whether you have one monitor or three, you want to have your monitors at a comfortable distance and at the perfect angle to prevent eyestrain. Experts recommend a monitor be between one and half feet and two and a half feet from your face. You should also adjust your monitor so that you are slightly looking down on it (10-20 degrees) from straight ahead. This creates a natural viewing position.
3. Give Your Eyes a Break – Staring at a monitor for a long period of time can cause significant strain on your eyes. Take a short break every hour to give your eyes a rest. You will also want to increase the frequency of your blinking during your breaks to keep them in top shape. Another method is to adhere to the 20-20-20 rule. This rule states that every 20 minutes, you should stare at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. You also might want to try artificial tear solutions or computer glasses.
4. Other Considerations – Seniors and small children are both significantly more at risk then other age groups for developing CVS. People over 50 need twice as much light while using a computer to be comfortable. Children, who often use the same monitor as their parents, are not in the optimal position to view the monitor and therefore have excess eyestrain.

Following these guidelines should significantly reduce your chances of hurting your eyes while using a computer. However, be sure to listen to your eyes when positioning your monitor and adjusting the light levels in a room. If your eyes feel uncomfortable, that is a sign that you need to make a change to your workstation or take a break.

Be sure to discuss any vision problems you are having with a qualified professional.