Computer Vision Syndrome is a Real Thing

Publish date: 2024-05-07

For most of us, staring at a computer for eight hours straight during the week is pretty typical (as is supplementing that time frame by staring at tablets and iPhones). While it’s commendable that you’re getting so much work done, all of this staring can put a serious strain on your eyes.

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It’s happened to us all—by midday you’ve been staring at your computer for so long that you start to get a headache, your neck and back start to ache and your vision becomes blurred or doubled. Turns out, there’s actually a name for these icky symptoms: Computer Vision Syndrome or CVS.

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According to WebMD, “research shows computer eye problems are common and somewhere between 50% and 90% of people who work at a computer screen have at least some symptoms of eye trouble.” While there’s a very slight chance that you’ll really damage your eyesight drastically, you do increase the risk of becoming slightly more short-sighted, causing your eyes to focus well on close objects but leaving those in a distance blurred.

CVS is kind of like carpal tunnel syndrome where you’re repeating the same motion over and over again and your injuries can become worse over time the longer you continue the activity—in this case, staring at your computer. Since there’s contrast, flicker, and glare involved it takes more effort for your eye muscles to process what’s going on on your computer screen.

Luckily, there are a few things you can do to lessen the strain on your eyes and your body:

Of course, if all else fails, you could invest in one of those treadmill desks that Victoria Beckham seems to be fond of. 

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