In 1991, James Sheedy, O.D., Ph.D., chief of the VDT Eye Clinic at the University of California, Berkeley, conducted a nationwide survey of optometrists. Sponsored by Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc., manufacturer of GlareGuard anti-glare filters, the survey sought to determine how many patients had eye problems caused by computer use, the most prevalent symptoms, diagnoses and treatment. The optometrists further reported that conventional treatment, such as prescription lenses or spectacle design changes, alleviated only a portion of the problem, the remaining symptoms being directly related to the computer work environment. If hard copy needs to be keyed into the computer, it is located about the same distance from the eye as the screen is.
Any windows are at right angles to the screen, rather than behind or in front of it.
There is enough light to read hard copy without straining. Screen reflections from overhead or desk lights are non-existent. Contrast is adequate to produce sharply defined images on the screen. Luckily, computer vision syndrome, once recognized, is fairly easy to correct. To begin, anyone who suspects CVS, or who works at a computer several hours a day, should have a thorough eye exam.