Does a computer ruin your eyesight or not? My vision is getting worse, what should I do? Causes of visual impairment

The total amount of time spent watching TV, tablet, phone or computer is increasing. All age categories exposed to the listed electronic devices. In order not to worsen your health, it is worth knowing whether a computer spoils your eyesight and how you can preserve it.

Can a computer harm your eyesight?

Disputes on this matter have not subsided since the appearance of the first monitors. The discussion is already ongoing for many years, although it is difficult to imagine a person who does not interact with monitors at all. Each side has reason to consider its opinion correct.

The first monitors released had built-in electroray tubes. Radiation from such a device had a negative effect on humans, affecting in the best possible way right before our eyes. Modern monitors They are made using a different technology; they are equipped with a liquid crystal screen that does not emit anything.

But it is worth understanding that the influence of a computer on vision is noticeable not only because of the design of the monitor.

Why does a computer harm your eyesight?

Vision deteriorates for several reasons:

Incorrect monitor setting. In preparation for work, it is necessary to correctly adjust the image characteristics. The lack of a clear picture, hard-to-read font and poor-quality text design lead to unnecessary eye strain. You need to set the correct resolution on monitor B ideal You need to achieve a clear picture that will be easier for the eyes to perceive.
Excessive time being at the computer. Long-term work can lead to deterioration of vision from the monitor (whether it permanently deteriorates or there is a chance to preserve it, we will consider in preventive measures). U office workers, after a day of intensive work with the computer, unpleasant sensations arise in the eyes. There is a feeling of dryness, redness and fatigue of the eyes.
Lack of lighting. If you have to work in a dark room, there is a serious impact on optic nerve. It is difficult for the eye to quickly adjust from a light screen to a dark room.
Computer location. According to the standards, it is necessary to install the computer and monitor at a distance of 60 centimeters from the eyes.

Symptoms of visual impairment

Every person's vision deteriorates with at different speeds. Some people sit at the computer for days without getting tired, while others find it difficult to spend even half the day in front of a monitor. The main symptoms by which one can determine that vision is being impaired by a computer are as follows:

Unpleasant feeling in the eyes. The main indicators of eye fatigue: dryness, burning, tearing. Such symptoms appear because a person, concentrating on the monitor, blinks less often.
Blurred vision. This next stage after fatigue. If you work in a room with smoke or insufficient lighting, your eyes will tire faster.
The appearance of pain in the neck, shoulders and back indicates that the body is in an uncomfortable position, which leads to insufficient saturation of organs with oxygen and blood, including the eyes.
Dizziness and pain in the head. It is considered the most dangerous symptom, which manifests itself when working at a computer for a long time.

Here the question immediately arises: does a computer spoil your eyesight? With a fair degree of confidence we can say that it spoils. But this process takes place individually for each person. To prevent this situation, you need to give your eyes time to rest.

Possible complications

All of the above symptoms appear in connection with long work at the computer. But these signs can also apply to serious illnesses eye. In order not to confuse the symptoms, it is necessary to visit an ophthalmologist several times a year.

Prevention measures

A person will no longer be able to give up computers and all kinds of gadgets, so it is necessary to reduce the risk of damaging his eyes. To do this, you need to follow simple rules that will make your eyes comfortable to work with. The basic rule is to use high-quality computer monitors that are safe for eyesight. Experts give the following recommendations to maintain visual function at the proper level:

For painless work, it is recommended to set the monitor to the lowest resolution with a frequency of 80 Hz.
The monitor contrast is adjusted to maximum, the picture should be clear.
The optimal distance of the eyes from the monitor is considered to be 60-70 cm, and its tilt should not exceed 15°. It should be unfolded so that there are no unnecessary glares.
When reading any information or watching a video, it is not recommended to look closely at the object.
The eyes need rest: preferably every hour for five minutes.
Try to blink more often, this will prevent your eyes from drying out.
If you have to spend a lot of time at the computer every day, you need to add foods to your diet that can have a positive effect on your vision (carrots, celery, blueberries, nuts).
For work, special glasses are also worn that can relieve eye strain.
You should visit an ophthalmologist regularly.
Do eye exercises at any free time.

Eye drops

To preserve vision, a person who spends a lot of time looking at a monitor needs eye drops from eye fatigue. The following categories of drugs can help against the computer, namely, against its harm to the body:

Acting on the restoration of the mucous membrane of the eye.
Providing hydration.
Anti-edema drops.

The table below will help you understand this.

Gymnastics for the eyes

With the help of eye exercises, you can not only restore vision lost at work, but also achieve optimal performance. They are carried out twice a day: morning and evening. At the same time, the head should be motionless, and all exercises should be performed with the eyes alone. Their movements should be as amplitude as possible. The following course is performed:

By vertical direction move your eyes up, then down.
By horizontal direction move your eyes right and left.
Movements diagonally from right to left and back.
Then the figure eight is performed vertical position.
Eight in horizontal position.
It's done with the eyes big circle, making stops as on a dial at each number. Then we repeat the exercise, stopping only at marks 6 and 12.

The entire complex consists of 8 repetitions for each exercise. Having completed the execution, the eyes need to be given a rest (blinking quickly). After completing general gymnastics, you can cover your eyes with your hands and rest for at least 10 minutes.

To make the task more difficult for yourself, exercises are carried out with closed eyelids, this additionally massages the lens of the eye.

Whether it spoils or falls for other reasons, the above exercises can help restore it if the case does not fall into the category of neglected ones.

How to relax after working at the computer for a long time?

After a long day at work, your eyes need proper rest. Playing computer games or watching TV shows, you won’t be able to do this. The following are considered useful:

walks on fresh air, because sunlight has a positive effect on the retina of the eye;

warming up all the muscles of the back and neck;
Don’t forget about eye exercises;
recommended to drink plain water and eat fruit;
wear glasses for vision;
drink tea to improve vision, which can be purchased at the pharmacy.

An important point is the consumption of vitamin A, it is beneficial for the retina. It is recommended to drink it in courses, permanent use forbidden.

So, does a computer ruin your eyesight? Yes, it’s clear to everyone what’s spoiling it. But it is also clear that observing simple rules prevention and giving your eyes rest after hard work, you can go for many years without complaining about their deterioration.

Vision problems are the scourge of the younger generation, who spend a lot of time electronic devices, affecting the eyes, therefore, as to whether it is spoiled by the computer, you can answer with confidence “yes”. When active computerization took root in life modern man, many began to notice visual impairment at a young age.

Harmful effects of computer

Even children know about the dangers of a computer. Anyone who constantly works or spends a lot of time at leisure repeatedly notices fatigue and dryness in the eyeballs, as well as a burning sensation and discomfort. From severe overwork, the microvessels of the eye break down, which leads to headaches. This happens because looking at the monitor for a long time, the eyes are deprived of natural movement; in addition, in a normal state, a person can blink up to 20 times per minute; when looking at the monitor, the number of blinks decreases threefold, subsequently, vision decreases. When working with text documents and reading, the eyes strain 5 times more than when watching films and photographic materials.

The luminous screen of a gadget itself also increases the load, for example, damaging devices and their list:

telephone;
tablet;
laptop;
computer;
TV.

Does vision deteriorate and why?

The impact of such a device negatively affects the quality of the eyes’ performance of their functions.

Visual function worsened by the computer. This is due to maladjustment human eye To technical progress, which requires a lot of concentration when working with electronic resources, and nature does not provide for the reflection of unnatural computer light by the living.

Any display consists of many tiny luminous dots, therefore it gives additional load on eyes that do not reflect light, but absorb it, which causes fatigue and inflammation of the cornea and has negative impact on vision. When reading or writing, the gaze moves slightly to the sides. This unnatural position for the eyes provokes eye strain and harms them. If you compare reading a printed book, it will have a single fixed font of the same color and without highlighting. The only aspect that has a bad effect on vision in this case is dim light when reading and long concentration on the text. When reading on a computer, the load increases due to light and lack of eye movement. In addition, radiation from the computer contains microdust particles that settle on the mucous membranes and cause inflammation, as well as deterioration of vision.

It has been proven that children's eyes get tired faster when they spend a long time near screens, because their eyeball muscles are not yet strengthened enough.

Typing and editing text also negatively affects a person's ability to see well.

When working with textual information, writing and editing, the eyes are more strained, since this activity requires excessive concentration attention, as well as focusing on the little things and details. In addition, the gaze is constantly forced to move from the monitor to the keyboard. At the same time, lateral vision also decreases, since the visual organ constantly looks straight ahead with concentration.

Signs of vision problems

Dry eye syndrome occurs in most people who are forced to sit at the computer for a long time. Fatigue and eye strain are expressed in the following symptoms:

feeling of dryness in the eye area;
burning and burning;
feeling as if something is bothering the eye;
veil;
impaired focus and vigilance;
tearfulness;
redness of the eyes;
flickering "flies"
blurry information on the monitor;
it hurts to close and open the eyelids;
painful and uncomfortable sensations that do not go away even after sleep;
letters, numbers, fonts, and other details are confused.

When negative symptoms You shouldn’t delay visiting a doctor.

These symptoms indicate obvious visual impairment, overexertion eye muscles, deterioration of sharpness when looking, severe fatigue of the eye sockets and difficulties in their restoration. On average, fatigue occurs when active work at the monitor for 2-5 hours. If you discover that your vision has deteriorated, you should consult an ophthalmologist. If this is not done on time, the process will start and it may no longer be possible to limit yourself to taking medications or wearing glasses. This is fraught with development dangerous diseases, such as.

Working on a personal computer has long been necessary element vital activity, tightly included as in labor activity, and in leisure.

For some, their main job is connected to the computer, and in this case they can no longer help but spend hours and days on it.

Can vision deteriorate under such conditions? It is not so easy to answer this question unequivocally, because the health of our eyes depends on huge variety factors.

Why might vision deteriorate?

It’s worth saying right away that the computer itself does not reduce visual acuity, contrary to a widespread myth.

There is nothing obviously harmful to the eyes in the monitor image, and the stories about some harmful electron beams are fiction and an absurd horror story.

Evolutionarily, the eye has already adapted to long and monotonous reading of small text, so small text on the monitor cannot be a harmful factor either.

But how then can we explain the fact that some people who work at a computer have worsening vision? The fact is that although the radiation from this device is not harmful in itself, in the presence of other negative circumstances, it can act as an aggravating factor.

If a person is genetically predisposed to developing myopia, or if he is already quite mature age for symptoms of farsightedness to appear, or if he has problems with cardiovascular system, which causes complications in vision.

In all these cases, working at a computer can aggravate and accelerate degradation visual organs.

The blinking mode when working at a computer differs from the usual; on average, the eye blinks three times less often in this case. This leads to its drying out, which is the first negative factor.

Incorrect lighting, when either the screen is too bright compared to the background or, conversely, the surroundings are too bright compared to the screen, is also unpleasant for the eyes.

In the first case, the eyes will get tired of the contrast, and in the second, the screen will be overexposed and the eyes will have to strain to see the image. All this leads to excessive eye strain and accumulation of eye fatigue.

There is a sensation of sand in the eyes, tension, and vision becomes “foggy.” Finally too long work doesn't provide either positive influence on the eyes.

In healthy people, this goes away within a few tens of minutes after completing work, but in those who are predisposed to visual impairment, this is an aggravating factor for accelerated development eye diseases.

In this case, you need to treat proper organization work at the computer with greater care and follow the recommendations below.

Yes and healthy people their implementation will not hurt, because even without the risk of vision impairment constant dryness is not pleasant in the eyes.

Prevention

Preventive measures for proper organization of the workplace significantly reduce the chance of degradation of the visual organs; they are beneficial for the eyes and the body as a whole.

First of all, you need to set up your monitor. Set the image refresh rate to 75 hertz. On the Windows operating system, this is done in the monitor settings in the control panel.

Keep it clean, regularly wipe it from dust with a special napkin; they are sold in sets in computer stores.

Reducing screen brightness in pursuit of for a long time running a laptop or tablet is a bad idea.

Straining your eyes when trying to see a dim image is too high a price to pay to conserve battery power.

If they are out of your field of vision, then move the monitor or sit further away from it. The optimal distance is 70 centimeters.

It is advisable to work on a computer in sitting position, don't lie down. The light source should not be behind the screen if it is the only one in the room.

Get up from the monitor once an hour and do light exercises. It’s enough just to move your arms and legs, walk around the room, and do breathing exercises.

Also try to blink as often as possible during this time to keep your eyes moisturized. The intake of the optimal amount of fluid into the body also contributes to hydration.

Don't work in front of a monitor at night, try to give yourself good sleep at seven or eight o'clock.

Lead active image life, move more. This will increase the overall tone of the body; you will get tired when working in front of the monitor for much longer. Such measures also contribute to normalization cerebral circulation, and the health of your eyes directly depends on it.

It wouldn't hurt to do regular eye exercises. This includes exercises for changing the focus of the gaze, as well as exercises for tracking moving objects with the gaze.

For an adult, the maximum time spent working on a computer and other electronic devices(phones, tablets) is no more than eight hours. Children 15-18 years old can work 5 hours.

Younger schoolchildren are allowed to spend no more than two hours at the computer. And preschoolers should not be allowed to use gadgets for more than 15 minutes.

This will protect their vision from excessive stress, which is especially detrimental during the formation eyeball.

To prevent computer eyesight from being damaged, you can additionally use the tips from the following articles:

Medicines

Don't forget about the need good nutrition, which will satisfy the body's need for minerals and vitamins. Vitamins A and B are especially important for the eyes.

If your diet is poor and does not contain enough vitamins, then make up for this deficiency by consuming pharmaceuticals. Standard complexes such as Revit or Complivit work well.

To moisturize your eyes, you can instill (several times a day) artificial tears and similar drugs. If visual acuity decreases, then you need to use medications that correspond to your diagnosis.

So, with myopia (the most common consequence of working at a computer), Emoxipin, Taufon, Quinax will help you. But do not rush to start taking any medications at the first signs of vision deterioration.

First, be sure to consult a doctor - it is likely that your vision has become worse due to vitamin deficiency or ordinary overexertion, and then you will not necessarily need to undergo drug therapy.

If the visual impairment is too great and continues to worsen despite compliance with preventive measures, then only this will help surgery, vision correction.

This picture shows correct position body in which the eyes will not get so tired from working at a computer monitor:

Results

A computer cannot spoil vision; it does not have any negative effect to the eyes, the radiation from its screen is ordinary light radiation, no different from other light sources.

At the same time, some features of working behind it can lead to increased fatigue eyes and their dryness. This is due to the fact that a person rarely blinks while working, sits too close and spends too much time in front of a screen.

The computer has become an integral part of the life of a modern person - it is used for work, entertainment, study and communication. But many doctors are sure that frequent spending time in front of the monitor leads to ophthalmological pathologies. Does the computer damage your eyesight and is it possible to avoid these problems? Let's find out!

How does a computer affect vision?

Not so long ago, it was believed that computer technology generates harmful electron rays that negatively affect human health, and especially the eyes. Users were advised to place cacti next to the computer, which seemed to absorb negative radiation. After some time, all these statements were found to be incorrect, because it was proven that neither electron rays nor the killing effects of monitors exist.

The negative impact of a monitor on vision exists only if the workplace is not organized correctly. But it is not the machine that is to blame, but the person himself. A decrease in visual acuity can be observed under the following conditions:

The monitor is too close to your eyes, causing eye fatigue. The optimal distance from the face to the monitor should be approximately 70 centimeters, which is equal to the length of an outstretched arm. While working, a person should see all four corners of the monitor.
Selected incorrect posture– You only need to be in a sitting position in front of the monitor. You need to look at the screen from bottom to top, your back should be straight and your neck slightly tilted forward.
Inappropriate lighting in the room. Workplace It is recommended to place it on the side opposite the window, as this will ensure proper fall sun rays. If the monitor is located directly outside the window, then the eyes will experience discomfort from the difference in lighting.
The screen settings are set incorrectly, for example, it is too bright or too contrasty. Another common mistake is to lower the brightness of your laptop screen to conserve battery power. Such manipulations will prolong the operation of the gadget for several hours, but will negatively affect vision.

The influence of a computer on human vision depends entirely on the attitude of users to their health. When spending a lot of time on a computer, it is important to install the monitor correctly, and also not to forget about regular rest. Every hour you need to give your eyes a few minutes of rest, which will avoid serious problems.

Signs of ophthalmological disorders

Do you know if your computer vision has started to deteriorate? The following signs indicate developing negative processes:

A feeling of dryness in the eyes, which indicates an insufficient level of moisture in the eyeball. The fact is that during everyday activities a person blinks on average 11 thousand times a day. Thanks to this physiological process An optimal level of moisture is maintained. When working in front of a monitor, a person blinks 5 times less often, causing the eyes to experience acute shortage moisture. This leads to their rapid fatigue and susceptibility to bacteria.
After a few minutes of work there is a feeling foreign objects in the eye, they seem to be covered with sand.
A strong rush of blood to the vessels, causing the sclera to appear red. Involuntary lacrimation is also possible, indicating developing inflammation.
Adaptation worsens, for example, if you suddenly look away from the screen, it will take several seconds or even minutes to “focus.”
The field of view before the eye appears as a veil, clouding, multi-colored circles. Because of this, coordination is lost and it is impossible to concentrate on the surrounding environment.

The presence of at least one sign indicates the presence of certain ophthalmological problems. To solve them, you need to reconsider your time spent in front of the screen, check that the monitor is positioned correctly, and also be sure to make an appointment with a specialist.

How to preserve your eyesight when working at a computer?

You should blink as often as possible, as this will ensure normal level moisture and protects your eyes from inflammation. When wearing contact lenses or glasses, it is recommended to additionally moisturize the eyelids with drops, the composition of which copies human tears.
Install the monitor in right place– the window should be behind the seated person, and the screen itself should be ten centimeters above eye level.
Set the correct and safe screen settings - the image refresh rate should be at least 75 Hertz. You also need to set the brightness and contrast values recommended by the manufacturer. You should not lower these settings, citing a reduction in energy consumption!
Once an hour you need to get up from the computer, stretch your neck, arms, legs, and also do simple exercises for your eyesight.
Include foods rich in carotene in your diet, as this trace element helps maintain eye health. A large amount of carotene is found in carrots, blackberries, bananas, grapes, dates, beets, eggplants, tomatoes, spinach, and walnuts.

It is imperative to regularly visit an ophthalmologist and ophthalmologist, since only a consultation with a specialist will reveal the development of gaps in early stage and prevent it. In most cases, proper organization of working hours and taking special multivitamin complexes are sufficient.

How to restore vision after using a computer?

A special gymnastic complex, which is recommended to be repeated several times a day, will help restore visual acuity. It includes the following exercises:

“Near-far” - bring your gaze to the tip of your nose and stay in this position for five seconds, and then peer at any distant object, for example, trees outside the window. Repeat 5-6 times.
“Pendulum” - move your gaze to the left as much as possible, without turning your body or head, hold it for 4-5 seconds. Then move your gaze to the right, up and down for the same period of time. Repeat 4-5 times.
“Circle” - with your eyes you need to draw a circle, moving first counterclockwise, and then in the direction of its movement. Between approaches you need to peer at any distant object for half a minute. Repeat 10 times.
“Blinker” - blink as quickly as possible and count to ten at the same time, then close your eyelids and relax for a few seconds. Then blink quickly for a minute and close your eyelids again for 5-6 seconds. Open your eyes and look at a distant object. Repeat 3-4 times.

These simple exercises maintain muscle tone and also ensure adequate blood flow to them. Positive results gymnastics will be noticeable within a month, but only if the complex is performed twice a day every day.

IN modern world The computer, as well as various gadgets, are a necessary part of our lives. Therefore, many people have a question about how a computer affects vision, since more and more time needs to be spent at the monitor, and how long can you stay in front of it. A lot of research has been done on this matter, and clear answers have been given that you need to pay attention to. So, does computer vision deteriorate?

After it was established in developed countries that the population's vision was deteriorating, many scientists began to think that such consequences were caused by radiation from the monitor, which spoiled it for its users. But studies have shown that the effect of a computer on vision is minimal, and it cannot damage vision.

But neglecting the rules of working on a computer can damage your eyes and lead to various diseases.

Therefore, when understanding the question of why vision decreases if you often sit in front of a monitor, you need to explain that this happens due to the following reasons:

The first is that the person is too close to the monitor; the ideal distance between the computer and the eyes is the length of an outstretched arm.
The second reason is that the person has chosen the wrong posture when working; You need to sit at the monitor, not lie or stand.
The third reason why vision deteriorates is the incorrect lighting of the room where a person has a monitor behind which they are working (the light should not be bright, and its rays should fall on the computer at right angles).
The fourth reason is the correct settings on the monitor, that is, it should not be too bright, and your eyes should not get tired when working on it.

This is why vision declines. It follows from this that the influence of the computer on vision is minimal.

This was established during the various studies and tests that were taken. Therefore, the information that the computer affects the eyes is a myth that has been debunked by modern scientific doctors.

Analyzing the above reasons, we can come to the unequivocal conclusion that eye damage occurs due to the fault of the person himself, namely his neglect of himself, and his unwillingness to follow safety rules when working with a computer.

It is important to know that vision deterioration occurs when long work at the monitor. This is caused by the fact that the eyes experience heavy load, and require periodic rest.

If this is not done, the muscles of the lens will begin to weaken and will not be able to adapt to other light sources. Therefore, it is not the computer that spoils vision, but the style used when working with it.

Signs of visual impairment

After conducting research, ophthalmologists have established some signs that indicate that the computer and the style of working with it is beginning to spoil a person’s vision.

Dryness appears in the eyes. This indicates insufficient moisture of the mucous membrane, and its poor protection from bacteria and microbes, which can lead to conjunctivitis.
If, on the contrary, the eyes become heavily moistened, they begin to turn red and the vessels become engorged with blood.
When working at a computer for a long time, a person develops the feeling that there are foreign objects in the eye.

Eye adaptation worsens if you suddenly distract attention from the computer; in some cases, it takes several seconds or minutes for vision to normalize.
The latter is when, after working with the monitor, a veil (cloudness) appears over the eyes, and for some time the person’s visual acuity disappears. At this moment, it is difficult for him to concentrate on other objects, especially if the room is poorly lit.

All this indicates that you can completely ruin your vision if you do not consult a specialist in time.

It is important to understand that vision also deteriorates if you neglect the most simple rule when working with a computer. It lies in the fact that you need to look at the monitor from top to bottom.

Vision restoration

In order to understand how to restore vision after a computer, you need to understand the reasons for its deterioration and minimize them.

The rules for restoring vision are as follows:

To prevent the mucous membrane from becoming dry, many experts recommend moisturizing the eyes before starting work. To do this you need to purchase special drops and drip them into your eyes.
The next rule is workplace equipment. It was said above that the monitor should be at arm's length, and you need to look at it from top to bottom. In this case, you need to sit at a right angle, and your arms should be parallel to the floor.
The next rule concerns the question of how long you can work at the computer. To preserve vision, the time should not exceed several hours. But if this is impossible, then after a certain period of time you need to do special gymnastics. To do this, you need to get up from the table, look around, then move your eyes to the right and left. You can do the following exercise - periodically make circular movements with your eyes, concentrating your gaze on the tip of your nose.

Save good eyesight Keratin will help. He's in large quantities found in carrots and blackberries. To do this, you need to make carrots or blackberries natural juice, which should be drunk throughout the day.
The last rule to preserve your eyesight is that you should not lie in front of the monitor. This situation is detrimental to vision.
The main thing is to set up the monitor correctly. With its ideal settings, it does not matter how long a person sits at it, it does not harm the eyes.

It is important to understand that in order to protect your eyes, mandatory You must follow the above rules and periodically visit an ophthalmologist to monitor your visual acuity. If this is not done, then they may occur severe consequences, up to cataracts or retinal detachment.

The computer itself does not impair vision. It deteriorates due to non-compliance with the rules of working with it, as well as neglect of the recommendations of ophthalmologists.