Can Vision Therapy Help with Computer Vision Syndrome?

Blurry vision, headaches, tight neck and shoulder muscles, and dry, sore, itchy eyes can be symptoms of computer vision syndrome (CVS), a common condition in the digital age. CVS, also called digital eye strain, affects adults and children who spend hours using digital screens connected to cellphones, tablets, laptops and desktops. Fortunately, your vision therapist offers treatments designed to improve your eye symptoms.

Why Do I Have Computer Vision Syndrome?

Letters on screens aren't as crisp and clear as those on the pages of a book. The combination of fuzzy letters and decreased contrast between words and the screen's background cause eyestrain by making your eyes work harder.

Other factors that can cause or worsen CVS include:

• Glare
• Tilting Your Head When You View Screens
• Poor Lighting
• Improper Viewing Distance
• Not Blinking Enough
• Uncorrected Refractive Errors (Nearsightedness, Farsightedness, Astigmatism, Presbyopia)
• Outdated Eyeglass or Contact Lens Prescriptions
• Using Screens for Hours at a Time Without Breaks
• Gender (Women are more likely to develop computer vision syndrome, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in Sage Open Medicine in 2022.)

Your risk of CVS may also be higher if you have a vision condition. These conditions can affect your vision even if you have 20/20 vision or your vision is corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses.

What Vision Conditions Can Increase My Computer Vision Syndrome Risk?

You may be more likely to develop CVS due to one of these conditions:

• Strabismus. Strabismus, also called "crossed eyes," happens when the eyes are misaligned. Although strabismus can be very noticeable, that's not always the case. Misalignments can be minor yet still affect your vision, causing blurry or double vision and issues with depth perception and coordination. These symptoms occur when the brain struggles to combine conflicting information from your eyes. According to a research study published in Cas Lek Cesk in 2021, people with horizontal misalignments are more likely to experience visual discomfort when looking at close objects and have less endurance when using digital devices.
• Amblyopia. Commonly called "lazy eye," amblyopia occurs when the brain only processes information received from one eye. Amblyopia has many of the same symptoms as strabismus and can occur if strabismus isn't treated. It may also occur for other reasons, such as cataracts, premature birth or nutritional deficiencies.
• Convergence Insufficiency. Your eyes converge by turning inward when you look at a book or another near object. If one eye turns more than the other, you may notice blurry or double vision, eyestrain, and headaches.
• Accommodative Insufficiency. The clear, curved lens inside your eye changes shape to accommodate good near, far, and middle distance vision. If you have accommodative insufficiency, the lens struggles to maintain its shape when you look at near objects.

How Your Vision Therapist Can Help You Improve Computer Vision Syndrome Symptoms

A visit to the vision therapist involves sophisticated tests designed to identify vision conditions that could cause or contribute to your CVS symptoms. If you're diagnosed with a vision condition, your vision therapist will create a therapy plan to improve or correct your specific vision issues. For example, wearing prism lenses could help the brain receive the same information from both eyes if you have strabismus.

Computer and visual reality games strengthen the connection between the eyes and brain and improve key visual skills, such as eye teaming, tracking, and focusing, and are helpful for a variety of conditions. Improving your focusing abilities could involve using a Brock string or another hands-on activity. As you move the colorful beads on the Brock string closer to your face, you'll improve your ability to focus easily on near objects.

Enhancing your vision with vision therapy offers a simple, effective way to manage computer vision syndrome symptoms. Ready to find out if vision therapy could make using digital devices more comfortable? Contact our office to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

PubMed: Sage Open Medicine: Computer Vision Syndrome and Its Determinants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, 12/9/2022

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9743027/

PubMed: Cas Lek Cesk: Computer Vision Syndrome - Symptoms and Prevention, Spring 2021

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34134500

American Optometric Association: Computer Vision Syndrome

https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-and-vision-conditions/computer-vision-syndrome?sso=y

BMJ Open Ophthalmology: Digital Eye Strain: Prevalence, Measurement and Amelioration, 4/15/2018

https://bmjophth.bmj.com/content/3/1/e000146

American Academy of Ophthalmology EyeWiki: Computer Vision Syndrome (Digital Eye Strain), 5/7/2023

https://eyewiki.org/Computer_Vision_Syndrome_(Digital_Eye_Strain)

Frontiers in Public Health: Let There Be Light – Digital Eye Strain (DES) in Children as a Shadow Pandemic in the Era of COVID-19: A Mini Review, 8/10/2022

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.945082/full