Do you need a screen test?

Do you leave the office with aching, irritable eyes after staring at your trusty screen all day? Although there is no reliable evidence to suggest that even long-term intensive use of VDUs is damaging to the eyes, according to The Eyecare Trust, VDU users are more prone to eye strain.

Screens and fonts are a lot kinder to eyes than they used to be, but by positioning your screen incorrectly and using unsuitable lighting you can still put your eyes under unnecessary strain. However, the problem is with your working practice rather than the VDU itself, so there is a lot you can do to protect yourself.

‘Your visual distance is constant for much of the day and this means the muscles that control your focal lens become fatigued,’ says physiotherapist Glenn Bilby, from London ergonomic store Back2. ‘If you don’t change your focus every now and then, the muscles get tired.’ One way to avoid this is to give your eyes the chance to refocus by gazing into the distance at 20 minute intervals.

Optometrist Vanessa Ho-Yan from the 20/20 Optical store in London, agrees. ‘If you’re staring at a screen that’s, say, 50cm away, your focusing muscles get locked in that position. And because your eye muscles are in a constant state of contraction, you may end up with eye cramp,’ she says. Try it now: if you’ve been staring at your screen for a long time and suddenly look away into the distance, it can take a few seconds for your eyes to adjust.

‘Exercise your eyes by alternating your focus between something close up and something far away,’ suggests Ho-Yan. ‘Look at something in the distance (preferably out of the window if you’re lucky enough to have a view – otherwise, pick something on the other side of the room) until it becomes clear. Then look back at a piece of paper. It will take a while for your focus to adjust each time, but carry on until you can refocus instantly.’ Then get back to work and repeat the exercise in an hour’s time. Physiotherapists also recommend rubbing your hands together and cupping them over your eyes every now and then to give them some symptomatic relief.