computer vision syndrome

[admin]

Not strictly an eye issue, but CRT emits more harmful radiation than LCD screens due to the nature of the technology involved (CRT's electron beam verus LCD's light bulb).

[drfsupercenter]

They can be...

My mom has a CRT, and before I changed the refresh rate to the highest possible, it was giving both her and me headaches by using it. My LCD, on the other hand, has a set refresh rate, and has never had that problem.

[ipaulo]

I wear CRT Lens, their like a hard contact lens that you only wear at bedtime. Pop them out in the morning and am able to see all day long. They basically smash down cornea to the correct shape so you can see normally without wearing glasses or regular contacts during the daytime. It's kinda like when you take off a ring your finger and it leaves a temporary impression.
The downside is I have a slight loss of vision late into the evening. I don't see too well in a dim room or outside late into night. For some reason I can see a lot better in a well lighted room.
You have to wear them every night and their not all that comfortable. Sometimes if I know that I don't have much to do the next day or if I know I'll be staying home all day, then I will skip one night of wearing them. Also, you have to buy eye drops, cleaning solution and storing solution (which is not all that cheap and hard to find).
It's kind of a pain to have to put them in every night, but it's beats having to wear glasses or contacts all day long.
I think I keep using these CRTs until I have the money and guts to do the lasiks surgery.

[Donnalda]

recent eye problem and uncertain if computer work is a factor?

I have recently had an issue with my one eye and went to my dr. who gave me antibiotic drops as my eye was sticky when I awoke in the morning after having spent several hours on the notebook which is an lcd screen.

The problem did not go away after a week and the eyelid became itchy and so I went back and was sent to my opthamologist.
At this point my lower eye on the inside just above the lower lash area became extremely red.
The opthamologist stopped the antibiotic drops and said that I had a stie (sp??) and advised me to put warm compresses on the eye 3X a day which I have been doing for about a week now with some small improvement.
I do wear reading glasses when I am on the notebook.

I don't know what caused this as I have never had a condition like this before , I do wear glasses as well for distance...having a combination of astigmatism and myopia in my vision.( I have had the same correction in my distance glasses for 40 years and just started wearing reading glasses 3 years ago, however the readers are really needed especially in low light conditions.

This stie is not a pleasant condition and I don't know if working on the computer is the reason that it is slow to respond to clearing up?? My specialist never advised me to stop working on the notebook so I have been continuing to do so with some breaks in between. The itchiness of the eyelid is gone.
The eye presently has a bleary film when I look at the lamp in the living room or the lcd monitor....not sure what this is all about?? It seems to be the bright white light that I notice this with???

I would appreciate any comments.
Thankyou.

[paglamon]

Well, you have a STYE( or External Hordeolum). Prolonged periods of eyestrain and refractive errors are common causes. It is basically an inflammation of certain glands in the eyelids which have ducts opening at the pores of eyelashes.These ducts get clogged with the glandular secretion and often there is associated bacterial infection that results in the acute condition.
There is also the Internal Hordeolum(or Chalazion) which is similar etiologically but has the opening at the inner side of eyelid because it involves a different group of eyelid glands.
Hot fomentation helps in the acute conditions. Don't worry. It will go away soon.But it may recur.

[Donnalda]

Eyestrain...hmmm I am wondering since I do the bulk of my work at night, I usually prefer to work with the the reading lamp shining down on my reading material and no other lights on as I find it best this way.
I have never had a stye and so I really want to figure out what caused it. The opthamolgist tested my eyes without my glasses and said that they were fine to leave without using my glasses as I developed an irritation over my ear from the glasses all of a sudden being too tight and the doctor said to do what the eye specialist said.... and leave them off for awhile, during this hot compress time.
So I am not wearing my reading glasses either.
Apart from eye strain, in plain English what is the other factor that could cause this? I guess what I am asking is what are refractive errors and what causes that??? As I don't want this stye condition ever again and you mentioned that it can recur???
Thankyou.

[paglamon]

what are refractive errors

Conditions where u need glasses to see clearly.

Since styes are inflammations at the eyelids, maintaining eyelid hygiene helps. It is a good practice to gently scrub the eyelid margins with cotton soaked in lukewarm water just before going to bed.This removes excess oil(secreted by the glands) from the margins.Dandruff is also thought to be a factor in lid inflammations.

Again I say, don't worry too much. Most people,if not all, suffer from styes at some point in life.But the severity and recurrence rates differ from person to person(just like acne).

[Donnalda]

Thx for the reply, I only posed the query b/c the stye is taking so long to clear up and I have never had one before. The other fact is that I have had a small area of swelling near the cheek bone under the lower lid. The opthamologist said that after the treatment of warm compresses and I see her this Thursday that if this is not gone then an incision will have to be made. Ouch!

The area is still there, however reduced in size, as is the stye but neither have gone away completely.
It will be 2 weeks on Thursday when I see the specialist and so that is why I am posing these questions.
Undoubtedly I am straining my eyes by not using my reading glasses b/c of an irritation above my ear which came at the same time as my stye, probably a coincidence but extremely annoying as well since I do need these readers and I am not driving as I need another pair of glasses for driving though my sight is not all that bad. But I feel more comfortable wearing the glasses, not so much during the day but especially at night.
Thankyou.

[paglamon]

if this is not gone then an incision will have to be made.

So this is probably a chalazion(see my earlier post).Styes usually burst out or resolve completely.It is in the nature of a chalazion to remain as a nodular swelling of the eyelid for long periods of time unless incised & curetted. It takes only a few minutes.

[Donnalda]

I don't see any red spot on my lower eye lid above the lashes. Only if I pull gently down beneath my lower lid there is a blood red spot about one eighth inch in diameter inside the lower lid and it simply does not go away and I have been diligently doing my warm compresses on the eye and I was also told to after 3 minutes to gently push up with the warm cloth from the skin area under the lid as if I were squeezing tooth paste from a tube. I have been doing that and the bright red spot continues to be there??? Again it is not on the lid so that you can see it whan you look at me.

I am now wearing my reading glasses again at the computer but see like a bleary focus out of my left eye. When I close the left eye and look out of the right eye at the screen everything is crisp clear.
The small pocket is still there above the cheek bone on the left and comes and goes in size and sometimes is almost flat so that you don't really see it???

I again don't see a pimple or anything on the lower lid itself, only this blood red spot on the inside of the lower eye and it is sore when I have to do this rolling gently with the warm damp cloth over the area. This will be 2 weeks tomorrow???
Looking at the bright screen of the computer LCD does make the eye sting somewhat.

[paglamon]

Only if I pull gently down beneath my lower lid there is a blood red spot about one eighth inch in diameter inside the lower lid

That is exactly where a Chalazion ought to be.It will have to be incised,I am afraid.

[Donnalda]

I saw the opthamologist and indeed what you said is the condition that I have and not simply a stye. The specialist said that a incision to drain the fluid is not good for the surrounding area and said to persist with the warm compresses.
She even tried to put pressure on the area with her thumbs and nothing would come out/pop.

As I mentioned the vision out of that one eye is blurred, she said b/c of water in the eye and the plugged gland area.
I wake up at nights rubbing both eyes and she said that artificial tears are not recommended b/c of the preservatives and so I have to live with this irritation which may go away.

A friend told me to apply cold green tea bags that have a tannic acid component that aids in alleviating this condition. Is this valid or do you have other suggestions???

I really hope so as I find this lump in the under eye miserable.
Thankyou for your time.

[paglamon]

The specialist said that a incision to drain the fluid is not good for the surrounding area

Sorry.I disagree.I doubt whether any amount of hot compress will help.
I perform about 10 such procedures every month. None have complained so far.

she said that artificial tears are not recommended b/c of the preservatives

Preservative free tear substitutes are freely available(at least in my country).

[Donnalda]

Thankyou for the reply. The reason that the opthamologist suggested that an incision on this one problem that I am presently having in her opinion was possibly not a good idea is that apparently I have had a number of glands that have had this same issue over a period of time and I have never noticed it.
These glands that were affected apparently show debris in that area now??? and are from the centre of the lower eye lid to the left corner.

So based on that she suggested not to proceed with the incision and persist with the hot compresses.

The only artificial tears that exist without a preservative here are in the health food store and are in individual vials There are none in the actual pharmacies that are sold.

[paglamon]

The only artificial tears that exist without a preservative here are in the health food store and are in individual vials There are none in the actual pharmacies that are sold.

http://www.agingeye.net/dryeyes/dryeyesdrugtreatment.php