If you spend a lot of time in front of a computer, you've probably experienced eyestrain, blurring, or just tired eyes. It could be even worse than you think. A large study conducted in Japan has shown that eye damage and even glaucoma can result from heavy computer use.
The study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, is based on testing the vision of 10,000 workers. Employees were divided into groups based on the amount of time they spent using a computer at work and at home. The number of years of computer use was also considered.
Results
Workers who were in the heaviest use category were most likely to have vision abnormalities including myopia (also known as short-sighted and nearsighted) and glaucoma. Heavy computer use showed a direct relationship to glaucoma and myopia.
Those who regularly spend eight hours a day or more at computer work and who already wear corrective glasses or contacts are more than 80 percent more likely to develop glaucoma than light computer users with good vision.
What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma occurs when fluid that normally flows in and out of the eye drains too slowly. As that fluid builds up, pressure in the eyeball increases and becomes abnormally high, a condition that can damage the optic nerve, the retina, or other parts of the eye. If glaucoma is left untreated, blindness is likely. More than two million Americans have glaucoma, according to the National Eye Institute.
What You Can Do
- Take regular breaks from computer work, and make sure the light is right for you – not too bright, not too dark.
- If your work requires regular computer work, you should get a complete eye exam at least every two years.
- Early detection is the best way to control glaucoma and prevent major vision loss. Elevated pressure in the eye is the major risk factor for glaucoma.
- A family history of the disease, aging, and African ancestry also increase your risk for glaucoma
|
