Eye problems common among IT professionals

If one's vision gets blurred or one feels irritation in the eyes after sitting for long hours in front of a computer screen, then one may be suffering from computer vision syndrome (CVS).

If one's vision gets blurred or one feels irritation in the eyes after sitting for long hours in front of a computer screen, then one may be suffering from computer vision syndrome (CVS).

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Max Healthcare senior consultant (eye care) Dr Parul Sharma said the problem is widespread in Gurgaon as there is a huge concentration of IT companies. "We organize eye care camps in these companies and employees often discuss CVS as they suffer the most," said Dr Sharma.

Eye care experts say computers should be placed in level with users' field of view. "A common problem in officers is that computers are placed too high on the desk. The top of the screen should be at eye level. This is because the ideal gaze angle is 10 to 20 degrees below the eye," said Dr Anish Kurias of Earth Ayurveda Multispecialty Hospital in DLF Phase 1.

"A screen that is too high can lead to dry and irritated eyes because it forces a user to constantly keep the eyes wide open and blink less frequently. It can also cause headache," added Dr Kurias.

Senior ophthalmologist of Artemis Health Institute Dr Anita Sethi said heat and dust are the two main causes of CVS. "Gurgaon is a high-risk area as it is hot and dusty," said Dr Sethi. She advised against sitting in front of the air conditioner for long as it causes dryness in the eyes.

Dr Sethi has found, after diagnosing an array of CVS patients, that most of the patients were allergic to something.