Computer vision syndrome: A review

Computers and mobile computing devices are being used by increasingly larger number of people today. This has led to an increase in the number of patients complaining about ocular and nonocular symptoms related to computer use. Eye-strain, tired eyes, irritation, burning sensations, redness of eyes, dry eyes, blurred, and double vision reported by the visual display unit users was termed "Computer Vision Syndrome" (CVS). It is a repetitive strain disorder characterized by one or more of the following symptoms - eyestrain, eye fatigue, burning sensations, irritation, redness, blurred vision, and dry eyes when associated with operating a computer and looking at a computer monitor in a temporal association. CVS has a multifactorial causation. Several factors have been linked to symptoms. Many treatment modalities have been described. Treatment needs to be tailored to the individual patient. However, a large body of work is still required to uncover gaps in our understanding of the problem. A specially designed ocular examination for computer users and associated counseling about the current good practices in computer use would go a long way in preventing loss of productivity and morbidity from the condition.