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Displays GUI Graphics Software Technology

Computers, Long Hours and Vision Problems? 512

Posted by Cliff from the prevention-of-vision-oblivion dept.
msid asks: "I have been computing for almost 10 years, starting back in 1996 when my father bought me my first computer. In the process, I fell in love with computers and got stuck with them. The last year though has been a real challenge for me. I sleep 5 hours, in average, per day and I spend more that 15 hours in front of my laptop's monitor (a 17" TFT Widescreen), either programming or reading. I have never had 'problems' with my vision up until now. Do you have a specific way of using light sources in your workspace? I have heard of special glasses for computer users. Should I use them or not?"
"A week ago, I checked my eyes and I found 0.25 astigmatism in both of them. They told me that this is not necessarily a problem, and it is mainly due to the intensive computer work. The actual symptom is that I lose my concentration more easily now. Also, the lighting of the monitor is killing me, especially when combined with a white background. Since I am willing to continue working in the same pace that I do now, what do you propose? Is there a habit that you follow to relax your eyes? Is there a way of preventing vision problems?"
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Computers, Long Hours and Vision Problems? More

Computers, Long Hours and Vision Problems?

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  • It's not just an environment issue (Score:5, Insightful)

    by lonb ( 716586 ) * on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:07PM (#14430642) Homepage
    IANAO, but IMHO extensive time in front of your monitor is likely to just aggravate or expose conditions you already had or were predisposed to having. It is always well-agreed upon that the best therapy is to never do the same thing for too long. Your eyes would be happier if you got up every now and then and took a walk-- maybe walk to the deli for some Jolt or Dr. Pepper.

    Btw, I've been sitting closely in front of large CRT and FP monitors for long periods each shot for over 15 years, and my vision is perfect. Not enough data to state anything conclusive, but I'd guess it supports

    • Re:It's not just an environment issue (Score:5, Interesting)

      by dnoyeb ( 547705 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:22PM (#14430803) Homepage Journal
      When I first got AOL ~1994 and sat down for about 1 hour of computing, my eyes were sower and red. my eyes adjusted after a few days, but im not sure if thats for the better.

      Liquid Crystal Displays are enormously more gently on my eyes than are CRTs. So much so that at work I use a 14" LCD rather than a 27" monitor due to the strain from the monitor. If you do have CRT ensure the refresh rate is pretty high like 75Hz or up.

      Rocking chairs or some chair that moves is also great for increasing your time in front of the screen. If you can slide back and forth or rock, then you don't change seating positions so often.

      I put my monitor in front of my window so I can gaze outside at the trees when my eyes do get tired.

      You can as well get someone to watch over your shoulder and tell you when you have been spending too much time on the computer and offer to assign other tasks to you for a moderate fee :P

      • Re:It's not just an environment issue (Score:5, Funny)

        by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 09, 2006 @06:00PM (#14431179)
        When I first got AOL ~1994 and sat down for about 1 hour of computing, my eyes were sower and red. my eyes adjusted after a few days, but im not sure if thats for the better.

        That's normal with AOL. It's just your body coping with trauma.

      • As someone who can't see the big E... (Score:4, Interesting)

        by EccentricAnomaly ( 451326 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @07:49PM (#14431960) Homepage
        As someone with eye troubles since the first grade, and who now can't even read the big E on an eye chart...

        Liquid Crystal Displays are enormously more gently on my eyes than are CRTs. So much so that at work I use a 14" LCD rather than a 27" monitor due to the strain from the monitor. If you do have CRT ensure the refresh rate is pretty high like 75Hz or up.

        I definitely agree with LCD's help ing eye strain, and also turning the brightness down helps.. but those are personal preferences.

        As far as science, my eye doctor told me that looking at close up things (e.g. reading a lot, or working on a computer) can cause two problems depending on a person genetic predisposition. in people like me: 1) astymagtism and near sightedness as the muscles pulling on your eye to focus on close up things cause your eye to deform or in other people 2) far sightedness as the muscles strain causes the muscle to stretch out and they loose their ability to focus close up over time. #2 is far more commone, and happens to most people as they age.

        He proposed four things... 1) use large fonts 2) set your monitor about 30 inches away from your face 3) reading glasses that make you a little far sighted to allow your eyes to focus on close up things with less strain. He said that reading glasses don't have to be a prescription for people with normalish eye sight and you can pick them up at drug stores and at walmart and such. 4) always use lots of light in your work area.

        • I have to disagree with this. When I was younger, I used to read books with them about 6 inches from my face. My parents were concerned and took me to an optometrist who told them that my vision was perfect, and reading that close wouldn't do me any harm at all as long as it was comfortable.

          What you need to do is stop every 15 minutes for 30 seconds or so and let your eyes relax and focus on a distant object. (ie, out of the window.) You might find that it helps a lot.

          If you discovered you have astigmat

      • Re:It's not just an environment issue (Score:4, Funny)

        by Art Tatum ( 6890 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @08:21PM (#14432129)
        You can as well get someone to watch over your shoulder and tell you when you have been spending too much time on the computer and offer to assign other tasks to you for a moderate fee

        Ah, a wife.

    • Re:It's not just an environment issue (Score:4, Funny)

      by HolyCrapSCOsux ( 700114 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:26PM (#14430844)
      It is always well-agreed upon that the best therapy is to never do the same thing for too long.

      I tried to tell that to my wife...

      She didn't talk to me for 2 days... that IS theraputic!

    • likely to just aggravate or expose conditions you already had or were predisposed to having

      I also believe this to be the case. I recently had my eyes checked due to some terrible headaches I'd been having for some time. I noticed they started around the time I got my degree and began working full time in front of the computer.

      I ended up having a problem in my right eye (somewhat blurry), while my left one was good. This little problem was just enough to cause major eyestrain. Since then, I got glasses, w

    • Re:It's not just an environment issue (Score:5, Insightful)

      by coolgeek ( 140561 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:31PM (#14430884) Homepage
      Starting with 20/20 vision as a teenager and seeing my vision degrade slowly to nearsightedness through my 20's I bought into a theory that staring at a fixed focal distance for extended periods somehow effects the muscles in the eyes. So when it came down to being unable to read street signs while driving unless I slowed to 15 MPH (at 37), I finally went to the optometrist.

      There I was told a few things. First, my eye muscles were doing what they were supposed to do. Second, she told me people's eyes change over time. Various factors including diet, tear production and UV light (to name a few) contribute to macular degeneration. UV light is a especially a factor for me since I've lived in L.A. and the Southwest most of my life. I also have inadequate tear production so I have to use artificial tears once or twice a day. I also found out one of my lenses has a slight stigmatism which has become more pronounced as I have been aging.

      My only advice: do not listen to a bunch of wannabe Optometrists/Opthamologists on /. Go spend the $50 on an eye exam. Consult a professional and follow their advice. Get a second or third opinion if you feel you need it. If you have glaucoma or cataracts, the exam will be absolutely priceless.

      You can get some decent glasses at Costco for around $100 (depending on your prescription and options). Personally I go to the "good" optometrist with the modern gear and sidestep their sales pitch to sell me expensive glasses.

      Here's some more info (which I did find by googling):

      http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2002/202_eyes.htm l [fda.gov]
      • I have learned to make myself yawn on purpose. Why use artificial tears if you can have your own? (This is not a joke.)

      • Re:It's not just an environment issue (Score:5, Interesting)

        by Ztream ( 584474 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @06:31PM (#14431437)
        That's interesting, because I've had the same theory as you. I'm still not convinced by your post thought. Considering the large number of people with common vision problems (I'm nearsighted), that would mean that before the invention of glasses, the human race consisted partly of half-blind people who were lucky to catch prey once in a while. It seems very weird to me that our eyesight would be, on the average, that bad. Also, though I have no real proof, I'd say that nearsightedness is a lot more common among computer users and book readers; why is that? Reverse causation?

        Also, your optometrist has a vested interest in selling you treatment. So do the people who teach them. Not trying to be paranoid here -- as you put it, I'm just the "wannabe" in this, but I thought I'd at least post a sceptical reply. Do you have links to research debunking your previous theory?

        • Re:It's not just an environment issue (Score:4, Interesting)

          by Skippy_kangaroo ( 850507 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @08:57PM (#14432328)
          Actually, there was a scientific paper released recently (which I can't find in Google even after more than 90 seconds of serious searching) which suggested that the reason myopia developed was that those who couldn't hunt stayed home with the women. And while the perfectly-sighted alpha-males were out hunting, the myopic nerds were perpetuating the species.

          Who knows? Maybe we will actually know the answer in a few years and such wild pop-optometry won't be necessary any more. (Not! And pigs might fly out of my hairy ass!)

      • Re:It's not just an environment issue (Score:5, Interesting)

        by bbcisdabomb ( 863966 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @08:35PM (#14432211)
        Do not go anywhere other than an actual optomotrist's office to get glasses. My experience with places like Costco and Shopko is that their optomotrists, while certified, are told to only find problems that they can fix, and if the patients don't have any problem, to give them a mild perscription so they can sell the glasses anyway. Your optomotrist will find EVERYTHING wrong with your eyes, and can usually fix them or refer you to someone who can. Just think, would Costco really send you to eye surgery? Your optomotrist would. Note: Forgive the spelling, I'm tired.

    • Some tips from a 20-year computer user and coder:

      • Try to sleep at least 7 hours a night.
      • For the sake of your eyes, take a break every hour or so. Get up, walk around, and let your eyes readjust.
      • Turn down the monitor brightness! I've noticed people have a tendancy to put their brightness on max--this is hard on the monitor and even harder on your eyes.
      • Use an LCD monitor if you can. If you must use a CRT, make sure the refresh rate is high enough not to cause flicker. (70+ Hz)
      • Nice tips, one to add.

        Use a dark background with a light-colored, and adequately sized font. This cuts down on all of those pesky photons being beamed into your retina. A monitor is not a piece of paper, nor a desklamp. Your screen need not be white with information printed in black to be useful. This is pretty much my reason for favoring the linux console where it fits the job at hand. My GVim color scheme is darkblue. A few simple customizations can make for a much more comfortable working environment. Al

        • Yup. (Score:3, Informative)

          by munpfazy ( 694689 )
          High contrast colors, a dark background, and a large font really help me.

          At least, they prevent my eyes from feeling tired and irritated after a day on the computer, and I've been headache free for years. (Don't know if it has any bearing on long term vision problems.)

          On the other hand, I've occasionally borrowed friend's computers and felt my eyes fizzle and become sore in minutes. Any time I look at small text in black on a white background, it bugs me. (Don't even get me started on semi-transparent te

  • here's one article... (Score:5, Funny)

    by yagu ( 721525 ) * <yayagu@[ ]il.com ['gma' in gap]> on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:07PM (#14430645) Journal

    I can't vouch for this [go.com], but it's interesting information -- why aren't you googling?

    Key quote from above article:

    "There isn't good research that says it causes permanent damage, but even temporary symptoms are worth noting," said Ticho.

    For the record, I've been using computers for LONG hours for over twenty years and haven't noticed any deterioration in my ability to sads lkjasl llksdkl!

    • why aren't you googling?

      because a google search can't answer questions or provide personal experience in the proper context of the question asked.

      And no, Google Answers won't do it either. [google.com]
    • There are a few specific exceptions, like looking directly into sunlight and laser light, but other than this, reading in dim or bright light will not change the health or function of your eyes...It may feel more difficult to focus if the lighting is suboptimal, but this has no permanent effect on the structure of your eyes. Likewise, sitting too close or too far from the TV will have no permanent effect on your vision

      - Dr Nicola Kim, Assistant Professor of Ophthamlology, University of Arkansas for Medical

  • Duals bad? (Score:5, Informative)

    by mpitcavage ( 655718 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:08PM (#14430647)
    I found that dual monitors with different sync rates give me headaches

    • Re:Duals bad? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Overly Critical Guy ( 663429 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:49PM (#14431077)
      Does anyone else notice that usually the questions submitted to Ask Slashdot answer their own questions?

      1.) This guy says he has vision problems.
      2.) Then reveals that he only sleeps five hours a day.
      3.) Then reveals over 15 hours are spent staring at one single surface.
      4.) Then reveals a doctor has already told him what's going on.
      5.) Then asks how he can relieve his eyes and regain his concentration.

      For starters, how about sleeping more than five hours a day and not spending 15 hours straight staring at a single surface?

    • Re:Duals bad? (Score:5, Interesting)

      by magarity ( 164372 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @06:01PM (#14431183)
      dual monitors with different sync rates give me headaches
       
      I completely agree but dual monitors with the same sync at different distances from your face is great. It gets your eyes to focus back and forth. I put a monitor at normal distance and a second about twice that, at a lower resolution, and use it for things that don't need fine resolution like email. It pretty much stopped eye strain for me.

  • Light source behind the display, glasses? (Score:5, Informative)

    by dada21 ( 163177 ) * <adam.dada@gmail.com> on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:09PM (#14430657) Homepage Journal

    I've been a regular over at the AVSForums for years -- I'm a confessed home theater geek/snob. A few years ago someone mentioned that they had a light source behind their TV -- just a soft white light. In total darkness, the white light reduced eye tension as it allowed the eye to go from the bright TV to a gradient light to the dark wall, and it also increased the visible contrast of the TV.

    I started doing it immediately (Standard Definition) and have always increased my use of it as time goes on. My current theater is a projector, and I have a soft light behind my screen matting. I definitely find less eye strain if I have the light on.

    About 2 years ago I tried it with my computer monitor (I'm a dual monitor user on the rare occasion that I'm not using my PDA; PC use is down to less than 5% of my computing time). I can say that I have less eye strain for sure when I use the soft lighting.

    I tried to do a quick Google search but my PDA won't let me display any articles that talk about the light behind the display. Maybe someone with a real PC can find one and post a link -- I'm sure I've seen studies backing up the usage of the light behind the display, but I don't have any links for now.

    On a tinfoil hat conspiracy sidenote: I was an eye glass wearer for a very long time. My vision deteriorated every year or two it seemed. I stopped wearing glasses a few years back and tried some of the eye exercises (as a friend recommended) and I was able to drop my driving restriction and I pass every eye test I've taken for the past few years -- without my glasses on. Anyone else have similar problems with glasses?
    • "I was able to drop my driving restriction and I pass every eye test I've taken for the past few years -- without my glasses on. Anyone else have similar problems with glasses?"

      Very similar here. Except that my vision didn't improve; my ability to compensate, say, by guessing the letters on the chart improved. This means that though my vision is still crappy, I can legally drive without corrective lenses.

      The funny thing is, I am very aware of how bad my eyesight is -- so I drive with my glasses on.
      • Actually, when I was single and got rid of my real glasses I wore fake glasses because it increased my success rate with women. Go figure. I also think girls in glasses are far more attractive that girls without glasses (when the wife wants to get some, she wears her glasses, too).

        My vision DID get better though -- based on my current annual eye exam.
      • I've been wearing glasses full time since I was 14. I'm legally blind in one eye without them. They're only off when I go to bed, take a shower, have a photo taken of me (glare from flash) or play contact sports. (and it shows, it shows!) I wore my glasses when I got my liscence, and when I renewed it a few years ago. There was nowhere on the form (in NJ) to check saying I need glasses either time. Nobody at the DMV ever asked my about my glasses, and my license has never indicated that I need glasses.
    • On a tinfoil hat conspiracy sidenote: I was an eye glass wearer for a very long time. My vision deteriorated every year or two it seemed. I stopped wearing glasses a few years back and tried some of the eye exercises (as a friend recommended) and I was able to drop my driving restriction and I pass every eye test I've taken for the past few years -- without my glasses on. Anyone else have similar problems with glasses?

      It's a well-known fact that wearing corrective lenses causes the eye to learn to depend on the lense, causing the eye to weeken and need a higher perscription. Even your optometrist will tell you that. That said, there are limits to how well using alternative measures will work, or how well standard measures such as glasses work. Uncorrected, I'm legally blind in one eye, 20/600 (I've done the math, that's like a football field being nearly 2 miles). Even with glasses, it can only be corrected to 20/45

      • "It's a well-known fact that wearing corrective lenses causes the eye to learn to depend on the lense, causing the eye to weeken and need a higher perscription. Even your optometrist will tell you that. That said, there are limits to how well using alternative measures will work, or how well standard measures such as glasses work. Uncorrected, I'm legally blind in one eye, 20/600 (I've done the math, that's like a football field being nearly 2 miles). Even with glasses, it can only be corrected to 20/45"

        I d

      • Re:Light source behind the display, glasses? (Score:5, Informative)

        by reason ( 39714 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @06:15PM (#14431311)
        It's a well-known fact that wearing corrective lenses causes the eye to learn to depend on the lens

        No. It's a well-known "common sense" idea with no scientific backing. Although many optometrists have long believed it to be true, when put to the test, it turns out that it's a myth [newscientist.com].
    • Yes, I noticed the same thing too with my glasses. I fixed it as well.

      Custom lasik.

      It, truly, changed my life. I had no idea things actually had texture.

    • Backlighting (Score:5, Interesting)

      by sheldon ( 2322 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:26PM (#14430843)
      Aye. I've been doing the backlighting of my HDTV television now for about 4 years. Recently, while reading the AVSForums I came across this special light for the purpose called Ideal-Lume.

      http://www.cinemaquestinc.com/ideal_lume.htm [cinemaquestinc.com]

      So I bought one, and I do highly recommend it. Now, ideally you could probably get something similar elsewhere, it's just a flourescent tube with a 6500k bulb. I guess what makes it nice versus the ones at Home depot, is the cover over the bulb is clear(rather than white), plus it came with a plastic sleeve with half of it blacked out, that allows you to dim the bulb by turning it.

      I started doing something similar with my computer, just pointing a light at the wall behind my computer, which keeps the ambient light high enough that my eyes don't hurt. Honestly, this I think is a good part of the key is making sure there is enough light in the room to work, while at the same time not having any glare on the screen. That means lot's of ambient light.
      • Absolutely. My screen (projector) doesn't suffer from light wash because I put the light entirely behind it.

        FYI, anyone who put a light behind their screen that far back is a video geek. Don't let the wife find out.

    • Re:Light source behind the display, glasses? (Score:5, Interesting)

      by dal20402 ( 895630 ) * <dal20402&mac,com> on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:33PM (#14430912) Journal
      A few years ago someone mentioned that they had a light source behind their TV -- just a soft white light. In total darkness, the white light reduced eye tension as it allowed the eye to go from the bright TV to a gradient light to the dark wall, and it also increased the visible contrast of the TV.

      So very true. Try it - it's amazing. Assuming your monitor isn't shoved all the way against the wall, put some kind of incandescent light behind it that will reflect off the walls around it.

      For me, that gives me several extra hours of computing joy before my eyes die.

      The other thing is: since I expect you're coding and working with lots of text, ditch your CRTs, use LCDs, make sure they're adjusted properly (if you're using analog inputs), and turn off anti-aliasing for small fonts. The sharpness makes an enormous difference.

      And for whoever's sake make sure to turn on the light when it gets dark. The worst headaches I get are when I forget to do that and I'm suddenly sitting in a darkened room staring at 2 big monitors at full brightness.

    • On a tinfoil hat conspiracy sidenote: I was an eye glass wearer for a very long time. My vision deteriorated every year or two it seemed. I stopped wearing glasses a few years back and tried some of the eye exercises (as a friend recommended) and I was able to drop my driving restriction and I pass every eye test I've taken for the past few years -- without my glasses on. Anyone else have similar problems with glasses?

      I, personally, had terrible vision until I lost my glasses (turns out my baby sister hid t
  • And while you are waiting for your appointment, Google eye strain excercises.

  • Don't read on the computer (Score:5, Interesting)

    by jgardn ( 539054 ) <jgardn@alumni.washington.edu> on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:09PM (#14430664) Homepage Journal
    Get a good laser printer. (As far as I know laser is cheaper than inkjet per page, and you get a better resolution.) Print the pages you want to read. Read them with the monitor turned off.

    When I spend a great deal of time looking at a monitor, I can't focus after a while. Either the font size goes up or I turn it off and get some sleep or read a book.

    Your body is sending you a signal. Pay attention and heed its warnings or suffer the consequences later in life.
    • Switching from dark text on a light background to white text on a black background can help too.

      one of those 4 AM things you can do when your eyes are freaking out.

      I don't read e-books because I can't bear to stare at my computer for hours on end.

  • Durrh...? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by g0at ( 135364 ) <[ac.taogyz] [ta] [neb]> on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:09PM (#14430667) Homepage Journal
    Holy Christ. Have you tried a) sleeping more and b) getting outside? Might be a place to start.

    -b

  • You're getting older (Score:5, Funny)

    by defile ( 1059 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:10PM (#14430676) Homepage Journal

    The machine's wearing out.

    Accept it.

  • Glasses vs. Contacts (Score:4, Informative)

    by everphilski ( 877346 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:11PM (#14430686) Journal
    I am prone to migraines and also have astigmatisms in both eyes. I work 40 hours a week in front of computers and then use a computer at home 20+ more hours a week. I used to wear contacts in high school and I found glasses let me work a lot longer and reduced the number of triggered migraines I got (for what its worth).

    -everphilski-
    • are you sure those migraines are induced by your monitor? I have migraines after stressful periods or when a stressful period lasts for too long. I noticed this after logging my migraines in a small scrap book.
    • My right eye is 15/20

      My left eye is 90/20

      both are astigmatisms; technically the right eye would be fine as it is, except you really want both eyes to see at the same fidelity; I get triggered migraines very easily when I don't wear my glasses, even for a trip to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

      I spend a lot of time (13+ hours a day) in front of various display devices. Glasses are definitely better than contacts. Even then I still was getting occasional eye strain migraines - I changed the way I u
  • I've been wearing glasses for close to 75% of my life, I'm 24 now. I've always had borderline 20/20 vision, but my eyes have just a touch harder time focusing in on close range stuff. I recently bought a pair of glasses from your standard mall store after an eye exam. I asked them what glasses would be best for me being in front of a computer 8+ hours a day, I got a pair that have whatever protections they have for anti-glare, and also anti-scratch. They work just great, and my eyes, and my head feel a

  • Eye strain (Score:3, Informative)

    by Billosaur ( 927319 ) * <wgrotherNO@SPAMoptonline.net> on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:13PM (#14430704) Journal

    I'm nearsighted and I make it a habit to not wear my glasses when I'm at the computer, the upshot being my vision has actually improved slightly over the years. I also try not to stare at the monitor for extended periods; about every 5 minutes I let my eyeballs to break the lock on the monitor.

    Hopefully you can find some of that useful. I'd also suggest looking at this artcile [thirdage.com], which contains helpful suggestions.

  • 24 years in computing and still counting (Score:5, Interesting)

    by broothal ( 186066 ) <christian@fabel.dk> on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:13PM (#14430705) Homepage Journal
    I've been staring into the screen since 82, and I have perfect 20/20 vision.

    Someone once told me, that it's because I "work out" my eyes. When I'm not seated in front of the computer, I'm out in the nature, either hiking or sailing. The eyes supposedly likes to look at things far away as well as close up. Being outside in the wide open should be a great contrast.

    I have no idea if that's the true reason, but I thought I'd chip in - maybe someone has similar experience?

    • Re:24 years in computing and still counting (Score:5, Interesting)

      by Lumpy ( 12016 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:28PM (#14430857) Homepage
      I sit at my desk with 5 Lcd's staring at me. I do this 11 hours a day and have nearly the same setup at home and also have been doing this kind of work for over 20 years now as well. (no I have not had 5 lcd monitors for 20 years you dolts) It is mostly the environemnt you keep where you work.

      First the dark dungeon lighting that Computer people like is bad for you, bring up the room lighting to be close to the light levels of the monitors. Secondly place monitors at DIFFERENT distances as well as get up and screw around (that is the biggest key) to make a difference.

      The guys that live in their dark dungeons complain about eye strain when they come into my office, the video production guys do the same. I always tell them bring the light levels up and place them at different distances.

      Complaints from them have dropped significantly.

    • Same here. I've been into computing since '79 (so, 27 years and counting). Keep refresh rates over 75 on your monitor, and text a comfortable size.
      One of the useful things you can do if you sit by the computer is exercise your eyes (as explained at this place [abc-of-yoga.com]). It's no replacement for getting out and looking at distant objects, then near, in rapid succession, but it all helps. I've still got 20/20 vision after all this time, and I've spend a goodly portion of those years behind a console. The earlier beh
    • Huh, maybe that's why I can still see. I don't get out as much, but whenever I need to think something through I look away from the monitor and out the window, focusing on random distant objects.
  • i know some people only use laptops, but i never understood such people, especially if you are devoting a lot of time in front of your laptop. if the time commitment is so extensive, then please consider buying a desktop computer. such a setup allows you more freedom and ergonomic choices: changing positions of screen and keyboard and other peripherals, such that you can find the most comfortable angles

    additionally, you can change screens, keyboards, and other peripherals without throwing out the core of your workstation. so maybe you just won't help your vision, maybe your spine, wrists, and neck may thank you as well

    put it this way: a laptop forces your body to conform to its design. a desktop is forced to conform to your body's design. i think the wear and tear on your body should get more of your respect. so lose the laptop, buy a real computer

  • All excellent questions.... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Rolan ( 20257 ) * on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:14PM (#14430721) Homepage Journal
    ...for your opthamologist.
  • I sleep 5 hours, in average, per day and I spend more that 15 hours in front of my laptop's monitor (a 17" TFT Widescreen), either programming or reading.

    You are not getting enough sleep and if you are computing for 15 hours a day, you do have a problem. Like some things, you do it too much and you will go blind. 15 hours a day doing one thing is a great way to get a repetitive strain injury.

  • I suggest moving to light grey text on a black background for editing, whenever possible. Also, make sure the brightness of your monitor is adjusted properly for the light levels in the room. Finally, try upping the refresh rate of any CRTs you are using. Sometimes the flicker, while not really noticeable consciously, may still be causing your eyes to readjust.

    Aside from those suggestions I don't have much advice. I've never tried special glasses, but I'm skeptical of them. Make sure to research them p

  • If using an IDE then try changing the background/font colors. I'm in an IDE 90% of the time I'm on my PC (which is up to 15 hours a day). I started having vision problems finding it hard to focus on the screen and read properly. I changed out my white background for a Cyan background and that made all the difference in the world for me. p.s. if in England, then try changing your background colours
  • Light yellow tinted 'computer glasses' can help with eyestrain by softening the image and flattening out harsh contrasts.

    Also...

    If you find that, after a period of staring at a computer screen, when you look up, objects in the distance (say, > 15-20ft) are out of focus for a short while (and you don't normally need glasses for distance) then it's time to have your eyes tested - for one it can be a sign of diabetes.

    L3K
    (T2 diabetic)
  • Being shortsighted is, imo, actually good for computer related work. If you are short-sighted you should not wear contacts or glasses while doing computer work. I used to and my eyesight deteriorated. Since stopping with that my eyesight has improved from -1.5 to -.5

    This, I believe, is because human eyesight is naturally designed to focus on long distances.

    Also a good tip when your eyes feel sore is to focus on something a long distance away. This will considerably relax your eyes. Eye strain is actaully du

    • Re:Short sighted is good (Score:3, Informative)

      by Anitra ( 99093 )
      That's only true if you're moderately short-sighted, and can still manage to read the words on the screen without correction.

      If you're as severely short-sighted as I am, you'll end up hunched over the keyboard with your nose an inch away from the monitor. That can't possibly be good for you.

  • LCD, light, reading (Score:5, Insightful)

    by anaesthetica ( 596507 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:19PM (#14430775) Homepage Journal
    One easy change is to use an LCD monitor rather than a CRT. I've found fewer headaches, easier reading, and less screen glare.

    Second, turn the screen brightness down to a comfortable level (especially when in a darkened room). The brighter the screen, the harder on your eyes. Likewise, if it's too dark you'll strain trying to read it, but most users don't have a problem with screens that are too dark. Most often users max out their screen brightness without thinking about it.

    Third, the light source in your computer environment is important. Laptop screens don't have enough power to stand up to natural light easily. Using it inside, I've found that overhead lights are harder on your eyes than lamps. If you can get a desklamp or floorlamp (you can get a nice one from Ikea for $8) that will be much better than ceiling lighting. Soft white bulbs are nicer on your eyes than bright white, flourescent, or halogen (even though they are environmentally wasteful).

    Finally, reading from paper is light years easier than reading on the screen, especially if you have a large volume of text to go through. If you can afford it, and don't mind killing a few extra trees, go ahead and print out long articles and read them on paper. Your eyes will thank you.

    • One easy change is to use an LCD monitor rather than a CRT. I've found fewer headaches, easier reading, and less screen glare.

      Original poster stated they were using a TFT. Can't change from a LCD to a LCD, 'cause that's not a change. -1 point.

      Second, turn the screen brightness down to a comfortable level (especially when in a darkened room).

      Since it's a flat panel, turning down the brightness jacks the color all to hell - it's bad enough already. -1 point.

      Third, the light source in your co

      • Your final score: -2 points. You are not required to kill yourself, but some self-mutilation is necessary.

        I choose self-mutilation via reading a computer screen in sub-optimal conditions: large amounts of text for an extended period of time, outdoors in natural light, with a CRT screen, brightness turned down. Hopefully my eyes will melt and my honor regained.

  • I suspect that keeping your focus on anything at a distance of about a foot to 18 inches for 15 hours a day is going to ultimately screw up your eyes ability to refocus. Your eyes are controlled by muscles and need a degree of exercise the same as any muscle in your body.

  • The obvious (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Eli Gottlieb ( 917758 ) <eligottlieb@noSpAm.gmail.com> on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:21PM (#14430795) Homepage Journal
    Just get away from the monitor, preferably outdoors, and sleep more. It is unhealthy to be in front of a monitor so much of the time, so drag your ass outside for a while, every day if possible. You don't even have to work out formally, just walk around for a good while.
  • is the brightness of the monitor. Two hours on a CRT makes my eyes feel like they're gonna bleed, but give me a LCD with the brightness turned down a tad and I can use it 24/7. I hear that low refresh rates give some folks headaches, but its hard for me to tell the difference.

    My vision used to be awful with a minor astigmatism, but I had it corrected with lasik. Getting rid the glare/dirt/lack-of-perepherial vision associated with glasses and the dryness of contacts made working with computers a LOT e
  • What are your other light sources? Natural or Flourescent? Flourescent lighting can sometimes hurt your eyes, because they refresh at a rate different from your display, no matter if it was CRT or LCD. If's a question of the combined frequencies between the display and the lighting. Polarized lenses may help, but I found it simpler to just change the light source back to incandescent when I had a problem with flourescent lighting.

  • mr. magoo (Score:5, Funny)

    by hosecoat ( 877680 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:23PM (#14430814) Homepage
    the main problem with using computers for 10 years is that, invariably, your eyes age 10 years.
  • People loose eyesight as they get older. You just happened to get older in front of a computer.

    Take frequent breaks and pray ;-)

    Cheers,
    Adolfo
  • 5 hours sleep !!!!! 15 hours computing !!!! C'mon get a life. Travel, live, see new people, new shores. Sunrise over Rio, sunset in Zakynthos, snorkel off the Great Barrier reef, feel the rain in Ireland. - hey ever tried a relationship with a human being ? Or even the cat ?

    Because one day someone might say you can't and these moments will never be yours....

  • 15 hours? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by duffbeer703 ( 177751 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:27PM (#14430848)
    15 hours in front of a screen is way too much -- you'll likely be dead of a heart attack or suffering from diabetes if you find a solution to your eyestrain.

    Workout and manage your time better.


    • Actually... I was going to suggest he get checked for diabetes.

      The glucose spikes in the blood cause the lens in the eye to swell. Basicly, vision shifts with blood glucose. You eat something starchy, or containing sugar, blood glucose goes up, the lens swells. BG peaks, and starts to drop, and the lens shrinks. It can be rather aggrivating for an uncontrolled diabetic, and one of the first symptoms people actually notice.

  • Something that helps this sort of thing is an eye exercise that strenghtens muscles in your eye.

    First, take a pen/pencil/finger/whatever and hold it/put it at about 5-7 inches from your eyes (right between your eyes so you can focus on it with both eyes).

    Next, make sure you are in an area that has something about 10-20 FEET away that you can also focus on.

    Now focus back and forth on the close object to the far object repeatedly for about 3-5 minutes (or however long you can stand it...). Just focus on the
  • I took an ergonomics course (ergonomics is science that basically deals with workplace vs. health issues) during my final year at uni. We've been told that it is not about lights at all.

    The problem is that if the eye is focused at one particular distance (computer screen) for too long periods of time (daily), the eye lens basically partially loses the ability to properly focus on distant objects (a distance of say 20 meters or more). This is allegedly irreversible.

    I have this problem too. My eyes were alway
  • I've been more or less glued to a computer since the age of 7 (in 1982). I will go through periods where it feels like my eyes aren't working properly. They kinda lock in place, and I find myself staring through people instead of making eye contact. When it is really bad, the world is blurry.

    The fix is to just get outside for a few days. It goes away. If I can't get out for whatever reason, I perform eye exercises. Basically a deliberately unfocus and go crosseyed, and then snap them back to attention.

    A

  • You're looking at the wrong culprit (Score:5, Informative)

    by sfjoe ( 470510 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:30PM (#14430875)
    Five hours of sleep per night is NOT enough. Despite what you think and what you hear from your friends, you need more sleep. From wikipedia on sleep deprivation [wikipedia.org], "Lack of sleep may also result in irritability, blurred vision..."
    Go to bed.
  • I've got a slightly different version of one of these lamps [coolstuffcheap.com] on top of my CRT monitor. It's so cheaply made that I feel like I'm going to break it every time I touch it. Yet there's no denying that it puts light in all the right places - on the wall behind the monitor, on the cieling, on the keyboard - but not on the screen itself, and not on anything in front of the screen that might cause reflections.

    An ordinary articulated desk lamp is easily maneuvered to put light on the wall behind your monitor. How

  • a few things to reduce eyestrain (Score:5, Informative)

    by pyros ( 61399 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:31PM (#14430890) Journal
    Use a high refresh rate.

    Don't the resolution so high you need the screen up close to your face to read it without squinting.

    Keep the ambient light low so you can have the screen's brightness down low.

    I use grey as the default background color rather than white.

    The last two go together pretty well and I've found them to have a more noticeable impact on eyestrain induced headaches than the first two.

  • Probably not computing related... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by ivan256 ( 17499 ) * on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:32PM (#14430901)
    Your dad bought you your first computer in 1996... Does that make you 18? 19? That's right about the time that many genetically inherited vision problems start to kick in. You may even have been slightly myopic for years but had an astigmatism that compensated, and now your myopia is getting severe enough to be noticed.

    Rather than blowing a ton of money on some ergonomic crap, just go see an eye doctor. They'll be able to tell you without any doubt what has caused your vision problems and how to deal with them (probably corrective lenses).

    Welcome to the beginings of old age.

  • Rethink your work habits (Score:3, Interesting)

    by raider_red ( 156642 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:34PM (#14430919) Journal
    I have worn glasses since I was 8 years old, and in college, I started wearing contacts regularly. In seven years of engineering, my prescription has not changed.

    However, I have seriously re-thought how I prioritize my work and social lives, and I no longer spend as many hours at the office as I used to. The surprising part of this is that I now get more work done. Your productivity goes down the longer you work more than forty hours at a time. By limiting my time at the office during all but the most critical of project crunch times, I'm able to focus better, and make fewer mistakes that require rework.

    Also, almost all of my recreation takes place away from the computer now. (Who needs games when you have a motorcycle.)
  • I got my first computer in 1988, and I started using it heavily in 1992, BBSing in as much free time as a twelve-year-old was allowed to have. I was diagnosed with mild near-sightedness a year later. While it's possible that I was already having problems, I didn't recall having trouble until then, and during times when I've been on vacation and not needed to sit two and a half feet from a screen and also avoided reading books for a couple of weeks I find that my far-field vision actually improves temporar

  • I have a medical problem (Score:3, Funny)

    by SIGFPE ( 97527 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:49PM (#14431078) Homepage

    I sleep 5 hours, in average, per day...I lose my concentration

    I whack myself on the head with a hammer 25 times a day. For some reason I now have a hammer shaped indentation in my skull. Do any other /. readers have any idea where this indentation might be coming from? It also hurts - I don't know if that is relevant.
  • Your problem is that your body isn't accustomed to being in front of the computer so long.

    But don't worry! I have a friend who might help you - he found out how to stay connected 24-hours a day! Log in at the CC network's BBS, and ask for Tsukasa. [wikipedia.org] Good luck!

    P.S. There are some side effects of using his method, but don't worry too much about it, you won't even feel them. :) Oh yeah, and beware of the cat.

  • Did you consider.... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by NoseBag ( 243097 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:54PM (#14431115)
    ...the fact that you're 10 years older?

    We do age.
     

  • Is there a way of preventing vision problems? (Score:3, Funny)

    by trailerparkcassanova ( 469342 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @05:55PM (#14431130)
    Yes, get a sex partner. Then you'll quit spending so much time with the computer.

  • 5 hours of sleep?? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Russ Nelson ( 33911 ) <slashdot@russnelson.com> on Monday January 09, 2006 @06:24PM (#14431384) Homepage
    You're only getting 5 hours of sleep a night?? And you think there's something wrong with your monitor or glasses?
    -russ

  • Sleep Deprivation Affects Your Vision (Score:3, Interesting)

    by NetFu ( 155538 ) on Monday January 09, 2006 @08:14PM (#14432100) Homepage Journal
    Well, 5 hours per day is kind of borderline -- some people are fine on 4-5 hours per day, others need 7-8 or more to be productive.

    Personally, I've found that if I sleep less than 5 hours I'm tired, but if I sleep more than 6 hours I'm also tired or even have a headache (at 8 hours, I often have a headache). So, over the years of working an 8-5 I.T. job, I've found the best middleground for sleep is getting to bed by midnight, then up by 6am -- with that much sleep, I'm always ready to go. It also allows me to go to bed a little later or get up a little earlier if I want to for various reasons.

    Years ago before I was in I.T., I was in the artillery in the U.S. Army. Artillerymen are *required* to stay awake for 72 hours straight on a regular basis as part of our duty (have to be prepared for fire missions for long periods in a time of war). So, I learned to go to sleep very quickly (it takes about 2 minutes for me to go into snoring mode according to my wife), and I'm pretty quick to get up in the morning.

    Also, my first two years after college I worked 16-20 hours a day, 5-6 days a week, because I had 2-3 jobs while I was getting established (like most techies, it took me a couple of years to find a *good* job after I got my degree).

    So, I have plenty of experience with sleep deprivation. I can tell you first-hand, if you're staring fairly constantly at a computer screen for 15+ hours per day, every day, your vision will be affected. That really depends on how you're using the computer, though. I've been using computers for 16 hours per day for over 15 years, but I take breaks every 15 minutes or so. Sometimes it's walking around, sometimes just talking to people, sometimes reading manuals, or whatever.

    I've sometimes gone for 8-10 hours playing a game (WoW or Civ immediately come to mind), and if that's the kind of non-stop computer usage you're doing for 15 hours per day, you've got to change it or break it up somehow.

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