Tuesday, March 25, 2008

CVS risk

Reading The Washington Post today, I learned that I am one of the many American's who don't properly care for my eyes at work, or at home, or at the gym, the cafe, the train, or, well, everywhere, now that I spend what seems like all of my time staring at screens:

If you're reading this message, you are one of the growing number of Americans who may be at risk for CVS. That's Computer Vision Syndrome and it's becoming more frequent, according to the American Optometric Association, which says that prolonged use of electronic devices such as computers and PDAs can leave users with problems like dry eye, eye strain, neck and/or backache, light sensitivity and fatigue.

According to the AOA, 78 percent of Americans do not have their monitors set below eye level, the correct height for computer usage; 73 percent of Americans do not take breaks as often as they should (at least every 20 minutes); and one out of 10 never take a break. Specially designed glasses exist to help reduce glare from screens, the AOA says, but only 11 percent of Americans use them.

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