Contact lens wearers may have more computer vision complaints

Computer Vision Syndrome is the most common health complaint in the workplace, caused by the eye's tendency to refocus as the screen's pixels change. Details common symptoms, and offers practical options for prevention.

Do you have tired or sore eyes? Headaches? Blurred vision? And general fatigue? If so, like millions of people, you may be suffering from a problem called, Computer Vision Syndrome, or CVS. CVS is the number one health complaint in the workplace, and affects everyone who works on a computer.

Your computer screen projects images in tiny pixels. Although you are probably not conscious of it, these pixels constantly change, and your eyes must refocus with each change. This constant adjustment can strain your eyes. Your eyesight will start to become distorted or blurred.

Your eyes may have difficulty focusing. In many cases, you may experience headaches, neck and back pain. There are ways to help CVS though. One of these ways is to wear a pair of computer glasses. These glasses reduce the glare on the computer screen, allowing your eyes to focus more easily.

Other ways to deter the symptoms of CVS, are to set up your work area in such a way, that it is easy to view your computer screen, which should be straight in front of you, about 24 inches away from your eyes, and out of the sun's glare. In addition, you may use a desk lamp, to create a more focused light where you are working. For more information ask your doctor about Computer Vision Syndrome,

The investigators found 114 studies written in English or Spanish and published from 2003 to 2013 that referenced both contact lenses and computer use. They chose six studies for final analysis.

All six revealed that contact lens wearers were more likely to have computer vision syndrome symptoms than individuals who wore eyeglasses only or did not need corrective lenses. Prevalence of symptoms ranged from 17 to 95 percent among contact lens wearers and 10 to 58 percent among non-wearers. Also, contact lens wearers were four times more likely to have dry eyes during or after computer use, compared with non-wearers.

Silicone hydrogel contact lenses  were associated with more comfort than regular soft lenses among computer users.

The study authors concluded that, during computer use, contact lens wearers suffer more eye discomfort and visual disturbances than non-wearers. But they also stated that, due to the small number of studies included in their analysis and the non-conclusive nature of some findings, more research is needed to determine the best type of contact lenses for computer users and how the lenses should be used.