Chapter 24 - Ocular changes resulting from reading and writing on smartphone and computer: Computer vision syndrome, dry eye disease, meibomian gland dysfunction, chalazion, occupational overuse syndrome

Abstract

It is difficult to specify the roles of computer and smartphone among other causes to understand the etiology of the eye symptoms. As computers become part of our everyday life, more people are experiencing a variety of ocular symptoms related to computer use. These include eyestrain, tired eyes, irritation, redness, blurred vision, and double vision, collectively referred to as computer vision syndrome. Computer vision syndrome symptoms may be the cause of ocular (ocular-surface abnormalities or accommodative spasms) and/or extraocular (ergonomic) etiologies. However, the major contributor to computer vision syndrome symptoms by far appears to be dry eye. Dry eye disease is related to meibomian gland dysfunction. Notably, the computer vision syndrome’s symptom—dry eye is also associated with rosacea. The nerve compression syndrome is related to occupational overuse syndrome and particularly computer-related overuse injuries of the hand or arm. This chapter discusses the occupational overuse syndrome including computer vision syndrome and concludes that rosacea and computer vision syndrome can be connected to each other via lifestyle behavior, which affects the microbial and metabolic profiles and via growth of staphylococcal bacterial strains, particularly human skin Staphylococcus epidermidis producing trace amines.