My vision is getting worse because I stare at computers 10 hours/day, isn't it???

How is my tech filled life affecting my vision and its development?  Patients worry their computers are destroying their eyes, parents worry video games are destroying their child's vision, and older patients blame television for destroying man kind's gift of perfect vision.  The answer is simple; everyone is wrong and right exactly at the same time.  Evolution of our visual system plays the biggest role in our ever-changing eyes.   

Our visual system is pre-determined in our genes before we even open our eyes to the world.  Our ancestor's refractive discrepancies have been around for millennia, however the snellen chart (letter chart) has not.  When the written word was put on walls or paper our ancestors began to standardize vision.  In order for a room of students to view the same book they all had to see exactly the same; birth of the 20/20 standard.  Hence genetics may have created a farmer with poor vision, but industrialization repurposed that same person into an accountant who needs glasses to function.  Visual systems are influenced by genetics and environmental factors.  

As a growing world we demand more of our visual system than any other system.  A person reading a book for 10 hours a day is no different than another staring at a computer.  The eyes cannot tell the difference; work is being done and muscles are being influenced.  Patients usually develop more myopia as they become more studious or tech friendly.  This is an inevitable destination for anyone wanting to participate in modern life.  Your eyes aren't getting "worse", they are simply adapting to demand placed on them.  The most important factor in your vision is ocular health through proper nutrition and yearly eye exams with your eye care provider.    

So sit in front of that computer, play those video games and watch all the television you want.  Keeping in mind we are animals that also need to physically move to stay strong, balance your task as best you can.  Taking breaks from these modern day systems will never hurt, realistically though their significance is minor compared to our technological demands placed on our eyes by our ever-growing connective societies.  

See and Be Seen! at Eyed LA Optometry in Brentwood, West Los Angeles
www.eyedla.com