March is national eye-safety month

Some 125 million American workers suffer from computer vision syndrome, a condition caused by prolonged computer use, according to Dr. Marty Schneider, therapeutic optometrist.

"March is Eye Safety in the Workplace month, and as our nation has moved from a manufacturing society to an information society, computer vision syndrome has become a workplace concern," Schneider said. "While prolonged computer use will not damage vision, it can make you uncomfortable and decrease productivity."

The syndrome is caused by the eyes constantly focusing and refocusing on the characters on a computer screen. These characters don't have the contrast or well-defined edges like printed words and the eyes' focus cannot remain fixed.

The condition can be partially alleviated by changes in the ergonomics of the work area, according to Schneider.

"Proper lighting and monitor placement can go a long way . . . as can giving your eyes frequent 'breaks' from the computer," he said. "But the underlying cause- the ability of the eyes to focus on the computer screen- may only be remedied by specialized computer glasses."

Schneider said a comprehensive eye exam, including questions about a person's computer use habits, is the first step.

"If we determine that vision correction for computer use is required, we can prescribe computer lenses that are designed to improve your vision in the 18to28inch range, the optimal distance between your eyes and the computer monitor," he said.

Schneider owns and practices at Camarillo Vision Center, 2460 E. Las Posas Road, No. B, Camarillo. For more information, call (805) 987-2400.