HealthLinksSC.com | 45 “In my three years in this job, I’ve had to get three new pairs due to my vision regularly needing new lens prescriptions,” Moore said. “Doctors have told me I have cataracts and severe astigmatism and that the constant glare of the computer screen could exacerbate my condition.” Moore’s condition, known as digital eye strain, currently affects 2 out of every 3 Americans. And across the globe, health professionals are warning that as use of computers, cellphones and other electronic devices continues to increase, digital eye strain is not only a major health concern, it is now in the position – depending on more scientific data – of becoming a silent pandemic for millions of people worldwide. “Digital device usage has increased substantially in recent years across all age groups,” said Dr. Amy Sheppard, senior lecturer at Aston University’s School of Optometry in Birmingham, England. “Extensive daily use for both social and professional purposes is now normal.” She added that DES, also known as computer vision syndrome, encompasses a range of ocular and visual symptoms and that its prevalence may be “50% or more among computer users.” Such evidence is not yet fully documented. Dr. Michael Chiang, an ophthalmologist and director of the National Institutes of Health National Eye Institute since 2020, said that while too much screen time could be the cause of DES, the matter needs further research. “There’s not really a whole lot of firm medical evidence that screen time causes nearsightedness or eye problems,” Dr. Chiang said. “On the other hand, there is some speculative evidence that the more time you spend reading up close and the less time you spend outside, the more kids’ eyes tend to become nearsighted.” DIGITAL EYE STRAIN: A VOLCANO WAITING TO BLOW? By L. C. Leach III Although his official position is security/customer service with Prisma Health in Greenville, Harold Moore spends seven to eight hours every day in front of a computer screen summarizing reports, creating spreadsheets and bar graphs for internal use and submitting daily work orders. And every day he wonders when he is going to need new glasses.
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