The eyes of a programmer. How to take care of your eyesight in front of the computer?

Sooner or later, every programmer (or any other IT specialist, but for generalization we will use the term programmer) is affected by eye problems after many hours of work in front of a computer. Not everyone immediately deteriorates eyesight, but there is fatigue or drying of the eyes. Vision is often the first “victim” of the specifics of working at a computer. See how to take care of your eyes.

Computer vision syndrome

Computer vision syndrome, abbreviated as CVS (computer vision syndrome), is increasingly being talked about and written about. This ailment was defined in 1994 by the American Academy of ophthalmology and defines the syndrome of eye fatigue caused by prolonged work at the computer. 75% of people who spend more than 2 hours a day in front of a computer are exposed to csv.

This kind of work affects specifically on the body. First of all, it appears problem with hydration of the conjunctiva and cornea. Under normal conditions, we blink about 12 times per minute, and looking at the screen, even five times less. In addition, the eye quickly gets tired, because it has to focus for a long time on one object while working with a computer. The muscles of the eyeball also weaken. You should not forget about the negative impact of screen radiation on the eyes. As a result of all this, CSV syndrome occurs, which is often associated with:

• visual impairment
• eye pain
• itchy eyes
• dry eye syndrome

Vision and work in front of the computer

Proper organization of work and changing habits can significantly reduce the negative impact of many hours of work in front of the computer on the eyes of the programmer. First of all, it is important to properly preparation of the workplace:

• it is best to set the monitors sideways to the window to increase the flow of natural light
• the distance between the eyes and the screen should not be less than 40 cm
• every 20 minutes it is worth making tens-second breaks, during which you should intensively blink your eyelids, moisturizing the eye

You can also give the eyeball a short gymnastics, strengthening its muscles: for a moment we look into the distance, then to the sides at different angles, and then we roll the eyes of the eight. Care must also be taken to ensure that the workplace is not too dry. The best humidity is about 50%. You can also use air humidifiers. It is also worth often ventilate the room. Also, one should not forget about providing the body with the necessary vitamins and microelements: A, C, E, zinc, magnesium and selenium.

The programmer should also not neglect regular eye examination. It is best to appear at the ophthalmologist at least once every six months. A person working for many hours at a computer should also choose the right glasses or contact lenses for this.

Glasses for work in front of the computer

It is not enough to put on any glasses. Yes, they will improve the eyesight of the programmer, but nothing more. Working at the computer also involves exposing the eyes to increased electromagnetic radiation and reflections from monitors. In this situation, it is worth opting for glass with anti-reflection coating, which make it possible to obtain almost 100% transparency. On the one hand, such glasses are very aesthetic, and on the other-they eliminate reflections and blinding reflections that can form on the lens surface. These types of glasses make your eyes less tired, because anti-reflective lenses improve contrast and visual acuity.

The developer should also pay attention to AR lenses from the premium segment, which, in addition to the anti-reflective coating, also have a whole range of other security features. Most often these are coatings:

• hydrophobic-reduces evaporation of glasses and facilitates their cleaning
• curing – scratch resistant
• anti-electromagnetic-reducing the effect of electromagnetic radiation on the eyes
• antistatic-reducing the attraction of dust (ideal for office conditions)

On the market you can also find different combinations of the above coatings. Most often, manufacturers offer a combination of anti-reflective coating (AR) with antistatic (EMI).

It is also worth paying attention to the frames. In addition to the fact that you need to choose them for your own style and shape of the face, you also need to focus on their functionality. For many hours of work in front of the computer, the best will be the frames lightbut sturdy and very well matched and set up so that they do not need to be corrected often, and thus to concentrate and detach from work.

Contact lenses for developers

Many people choose contact lenses instead of glasses. This solution has its advantages:

• provide a full field of view and a natural look
• do not distort the image
• no problem with steamy glasses
• frames do not slip out of sight during Operation

Until a few years ago, the conditions prevailing in offices did not have a good effect on users of contact lenses, which, under the influence of air conditioning, various types of ventilation or heating, were significantly dried. This was particularly true for soft hydrogel lenses, including those with an increased water content. Fortunately, now on the market you can find models of lenses of the new generation, in which manufacturers have eliminated the problems described above. Developers should therefore choose silicone-hydrogel lenses (e.g. Air Optix, Acuvue Oasys, etc.). Such models are often enriched with moisturizing ingredients, and in addition they are very smooth, which makes the user not feel them at all.

Do not forget about moisturizing your eyes!

We have already mentioned that working in front of a computer makes us blink less, and therefore we are more likely to dry out the conjunctiva and cornea. To avoid this, it is necessary to provide the eyes with optimal hydration. The best for this will be eye drops, which should be used several times a day (so-called artificial tears). It is best to choose drops without preservatives, because such substances, instead of helping, can irritate the eyes and cause allergies. Here you can recommend such preparations as, for example: hialeye, fitostill, ocumax, Zuma Firefly, etc. It is very effective to combine the gel with drops. It is worth paying attention to the gel with chabre bławatkiem (eg Fleslek) or with chamomile or arnica. Such preparations relieve irritation, refresh the eyeball and eliminate its possible congestion.