According to the preliminary results of a UAB study conducted on a small group of participants ranging in age from 24 to 51, eyestrain and headaches caused by eyestrain can reduce worker comfort, and can negatively affect accuracy and productivity. The American Optometric Association (AOA) agrees, noting that up to 75 percent of the nation’s computer workers list eye and vision problems as the most frequently reported health-related issue.

Computer Vision Syndrome, or CVS, is defined by the AOA as a "complex of eye and vision-related problems associated with using a computer." And in 1998, the AOA estimated that CVS cost American companies and employees $1.9 billion per year to diagnose and treat.

According to aoa.org, "the elements of working at a computer which make it visually demanding include frequent saccadic eye movements (ocular motility) and continuous eye focusing (accommodation) and alignment (vergence) demands. Problems occur when the visual demands of the task exceed the visual abilities of the individual to comfortably perform the task."

The UAB study examined the link between corrective lenses and productivity. The preliminary results, as reported in an article in the September 2002, Occupational Health and Safety magazine indicated that the there is a relationship between the two.

"We believe that this pilot data strongly suggests that improving the visual status of workers using computers results in greater productivity in the workplace, as well as improved visual comfort," said Kent Daum, O.D., Ph.D, and associate professor at the School of Optometry at UAB, in the Occupational Health and Safety article. A combination of visual discomfort leading to increased down time and breaks, blur resulting in workplace inefficiency and accuracy, and eyestrain and headaches were reported by the test subjects.

The AOA recommends eliminating CVS through the following steps:

Prescription lenses. Even for computer workers who don’t normally need glasses at home, mild prescription lenses can reduce vision stress.

Glasses that work for the job. Different prescriptions might be needed for the type of work being performed on computers by workers who already require and wear prescription lenses.

Taking alternative task breaks throughout the day.

Reducing room lighting to half of normal office levels by removing light bulbs. Minimizing computer screen glare.

Using adjustable copy holders to place reference material at the same distance from eyes as the computer screen to keep the eyes from constant refocusing.

Adjusting work area and computer for comfort.

Cleaning computer screens frequently.

Source: aoa.org; Occupational Health and Safety, Sept. 2002