Easy and simple exercises to improve your vision and prevent from Computer Vision Syndrome

Eye relaxation exercises are really important for improving vision naturally. They reduce eye strain which in turn increases the flexibility of your eye muscles - a function which enables you to see clearly.

Scientists have stated that near-point stress is a major cause of vision problems like nearsightedness (myopia). We can reverse the damaging effects of eye strain using simple eye exercises. All you have to do is consciously relax your eyes during times of near-point stress - such as working on the computer, reading, or doing any other close-up work.

If you feel any symptoms of CVS, stop working at the computer and practice eye exercises. Exercises should be done daily to reduce strain, headaches and dry eye as a result of using the computer too many hours in a day.

The first exercise you can do is to hold out a pencil, an arm's length away from your body. Focus your vision on the tip and slowly bring it towards your eyes, while keeping your vision locked on the pencil tip. As soon as you bring it close to your nose, you will begin to see double. Repeat the exercise five to 10 times, throughout the day or as soon as you feel CVS symptoms.

A simple exercise to do in order to exercise the eye is to look up from the computer when you begin to feel symptoms, focus on an object that is across the room and stare at it for approximately 20 seconds. After the time is up, lock your vision on an object that is close to you for the same amount of time. Alternate between far and close objects about 10 times, continuing that exercise throughout the day as needed.

When at any point in the day you feel symptoms of CVS, look outside if you have a window or focus on an object across the room until your eyes feel relaxed. Staring at a computer monitor strains the muscles in the eye that deal with focusing, so looking away will relax those muscles.

Few tips to keep your prevent your child from vision problems:

The adequate distance from the screen holds the key to the reduction of eyestrain.

• For television, a distance of 96 inches is a must. It could also be calculated as 6 times the diagonal of the television screen. Television should not be watched in a dark room.
• For computer, a distance of 18 -25 inches should be maintained with open space behind the computer (not against a wall).
• For reading material, always use good light. Hold the material no closer than the distance between your knuckles and the elbow (13 inches). The closer one holds the things, the more likely one is causing eye strain.
• Sit straight. Don’t read leaning over a table or lying down. This causes your eyes to adapt and may cause eye strain.

Useful links and resources:

* Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS):Stop Computer Eye Strain Now!

* Exercises to Strengthen Eye Muscles

What Is "Vision therapy" And How It Can Help in Visual Problems?

If your child is struggling to read or finding it difficult to remain on task, the cause may be an undetected vision problem, even if your child's eyesight is 20/20 and he's passed a routine eye exam.

Current research shows that about 20% of school-aged children have undetected vision problems which are hindering their school performance. Many of these children have passed their school's vision screening, which is only designed to check children's distance vision as measured by the 20/20 line on the eye chart.

Parents and teachers often have difficulty recognizing some visual problems because children don't necessarily know how or what they're supposed to be seeing, so it is the duty of teachers or parents to learn 'how to detect early visual problems of your child?'. Early detection can save years of struggling. We can help our child by identifying the underlying vision deficits that are hindering the child’s ability to perform at his or her potential. "Vision Therapy" is the process which can help resolve vision problems without any medication or surgical help.
As this term 'vision therapy'is new to us, so this post would help you understand 'what is vision therapy and why is is adviced?'

There are many visual skills which are important for academic success. One of the least important skills is termed visual acuity (clarity, sharpness). This is the so-called 20/20, 20/400, etc., eyesight. All that is meant by the notation 20/20 is that a person is capable of seeing clearly at a distance of twenty feet. Unfortunately, how well a child sees at twenty feet has little to do with how his vision functions at the reading and learning distance -- aproximately eleven to sixteen inches from the face. There are many other important visual skills that might not be developed even though visual acuity at distance is normal.

Vision therapy

It is a type of physical therapy for the eyes and brain. A highly effective non-surgical treatment for many common visual problems such as lazy eye, crossed eyes, double vision, convergence insufficiency and some reading and learning disabilities. Many patients who have been told, "it's too late," or "you'll have to learn to live with it" have benefited from vision therapy.

In the case of learning disabilities, vision therapy is specifically directed toward resolving visual problems which interfere with reading, learning and educational instruction.

Optometrists do not claim that vision therapy is a direct treatment for learning disabilities.

Vision therapy is:

- a progressive program of vision "exercises" or procedures;
- performed under doctor supervision;
- individualized to fit the visual needs of each patient;
- generally conducted in-office, in once or twice weekly sessions of 30 minutes to one hour;
- sometimes supplemented with procedures done at home between office visits ("homework");

(depending on the case) prescribed to --
- help patients develop or improve fundamental visual skills and abilities;
- improve visual comfort, ease, and efficiency;
- change how a patient processes or interprets visual information.

Vision Therapy Is Not Just Eye Exercise

Vision Therapy is not to be confused with any self-directed self-help program of eye exercises which is or has been marketed to the public. Vision Therapy is supervised by optometric vision care professionals and many types of specialized and/or medical devices are used in Vision Therapy programs,
such as:
- prescription lenses (regulated medical devices);
- therapeutic lenses (regulated medical devices);
- prisms (regulated medical devices);
- optical filters;
- eye patches or occluders
- electronic targets with timing mechanisms;
- computer software;
- vestibular (balance) equipment
- visual-motor-sensory integration training devices

The first step in any Vision Therapy program is a comprehensive vision examination. Following a thorough evaluation, a qualified vision care professional can advise the candidate as to whether Vision Therapy would be appropriate treatment.

To get more information: Vision therapy.org

Other articles on vision:
From: Optometric Extension Program Foundation

Free and helpful Resources:

* The Children's Vision Information Network is created to raise public awareness about potential vision problems in children. The goal of this website is to educate parents and teachers about frequently overlooked vision problems in the hopes of helping those children who struggle unnecessarily because of undiagnosed vision disorders.

Link: The Children's Vision

- This checklist shows common symptoms children with hidden vision problems can exhibit. It is an excellent screening tool to evaluate if your child is at-risk for vision-based learning or attention problems.
Sypmptoms checklist


* Child and family eyes

* Important information about why your child may be struggling: Vision and reading

How to detect early visual problems of your child?

This post would help you understand how to detect if your child is having visual
problems. Earlier you notice vision problem, easier is to cure. I learned this important lesson from my life, because my vision problem was not detected earlier and I spent about one years without realizing it. Later my mother noticed my watching tv from a closer place and consulted an optometrist.

Parents and teachers often have difficulty recognizing some visual problems because children don't necessarily know how or what they're supposed to be seeing, so it's unlikely they will clearly describe visual problems. A child who has never known normal vision or depth perception doesn't know what he or she is missing.

Early detection of visual problems greatly increases the chances of successful rehabilitation. Children should be examined by an eye doctor during infancy and preschool years to detect potential problems with binocular vision. This is particularly important if any member of the family has had ambylopia or strabismus. Testing of binocular teaming skills should be a part of every child's comprehensive eye examination.

Children should be examined by an eye doctor during infancy and preschool years to detect potential vision defects

Look for these signs and symptoms!

You observe the following behavior in your child:

- one eye drifts or aims in a different direction than the other (look carefully -- this can be subtle). This is significant even if it only occurs when the child is tired or stressed.
- turns or tilts head to see
- head is frequently tilted to one side or one shoulder is noticeably higher
- squinting or closing of one eye
- excessive blinking or squinting
- poor visual/motor skills (often called, "hand-eye coordination")
- problems moving in space, frequently bumps into things or drops things

While reading or doing close work your child:

- holds the book or object unusually close
- closes one eye or covers eye with hand
- twists or tilts head toward book or object so as to favor one eye
- frequently loses place and fatigues easily
- uses finger to read
- rubs eyes during or after short periods of reading

Your child frequently complains of:

- only being able to read for short periods of time
- headaches or eyestrain
- nausea or dizziness
- motion sickness
- DOUBLE VISION!

If your child reports seeing double, please take your child for a binocular vision evaluation immediately.
Source: Children special needs.org A site from "The Optometrists Network" which educates the public about visual health and spreads the word about unique aspects of optometric care. Provides patient education free to the public.

Helpful articles:

* Parents' Guide to Children's Normal Visual Development from Infancy to Preschool

Impact of computer use on child's vision

All about vision is a source of trustworthy information on eye health and vision correction options.

How long hours use of computer can effect the vision of our children, there are useful articles about the topic:

According to a survey report:

- 90 percent of school-age children have computer access at home or in school.

- 54 million children in the United States alone use a computer at home or in school.
Several recent studies provide evidence that computers can have a negative impact on a child's vision:

* 25 percent to 30 percent of computer-using children need corrective eyewear to work comfortably and safely at the computer at home or in school, says a study at the University of California at Berkeley School of Optometry.

* The percentage of first-graders with myopia has increased from 12.1 percent to 20.4 percent since 1995, according to a study by the Department of Health in Taiwan.

* A similar study in Singapore found that in three years the percentage of seven- to nine-year-olds with myopia had doubled, to 34 percent.

Sitting for hours in front of a computer screen stresses a child's eyes because the computer forces the child's vision system to focus and strain a lot more than any other task. Twenty years ago, most children played outside, and their distant vision was more important. Today, most children work at a computer either at home or school each day. Sitting in front of a computer and staring at a computer screen is causing vision problems that were not known years ago.

Today it is a "near-point world," and parents need to be aware of the vision problems associated with computer work. Computer use demands fine motor skills from young eyes that are not well developed. Only when the visual system matures is a child better able to handle the stress of a computer on that system.

According to the American Optometric Association, the impact of computer use on children's vision involves these factors:

Children have a limited degree of self-awareness. They may perform a task on the computer for hours with few breaks. This prolonged activity can cause eye focusing and eye strain problems.

Children are very adaptable. They assume that what they see and how they see is normal — even if their vision is problematic. That's why it is important for parents to monitor the time a child spends working at a computer.

Children are smaller than adults. Since computer workstations are often arranged for adult use, this can change the viewing angle for children. Computer users should view the screen slightly downward, at a 15-degree angle. Furthermore, as a result of difficulty reaching the keyboard or placing their feet on the floor, a child may experience neck, shoulder and/or back pain.
Five Tips for Preventing Computer Vision Syndrome in Children
Many pediatric eye doctors believe that environmental stress of the "near-point world" rather than heredity is creating the myopia (nearsightedness) epidemic. In fact, children using computers before their visual systems are fully developed are at the very heart of the public health problem called computer vision syndrome (CVS). To prevent your child from suffering from CVS, follow these five tips:

Before starting school, every child should have a comprehensive eye exam, including near-point (computer and reading) and distance testing.

Workstations should be arranged to suit a child — not an adult.

The recommended distance between the monitor and the eye for children is 18-28 inches. By viewing the computer screen closer than 18 inches, children risk straining their eyes. Read more tips for adjusting the monitor and room lighting to reduce glare.

Parents and teachers should be aware of any behavior that indicates potential problems, such as eye redness, frequent rubbing of the eyes, head turns and other unusual postures, or complaints of blurriness or eye fatigue. Avoidance of the computer may also be an indication of discomfort.

Most importantly, have your child's eyes examined by a computer vision specialist.
Link to the article: Children and Computer Vision Syndrome By Larry K. Wan, O.D.

For parents: (A lot of informative material at) Children's Vision: What Parents Need to Know

* A Guide to Children's Vision Problems

* Vision Therapy for Children