“DON’T tell me about your aching neck, or your backache. Tell it to your computer.” Sound odd? Not for someone like me who has concerned parents and a passion for computers. “Turn off that darned thing. It’s going to ruin your eyesight. You will go blind!”
These are the comments one hears on a daily basis from parents if one is a computer buff like me who got hooked on it since the day it appeared on my doorstep seven years ago. Apart from what parents have to say about how computers are affecting the health of their children, doctors agree that a computer can cause many health related problems.
Numbness and tingling of the thumb, index and middle finger and the radial (outer) half of the ring finger are classic symptoms of the condition known as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) which has been linked to extensive computer (or typing) job. It could even involve the entire hand in more severe cases. Some people wake up at night with burning or aching pain with numbness and tingling of the hand, and shake the hand to obtain relief and normal sensation.
Prolonged and repetitive flexing and extension of the wrists (typing on keyboards) could result in compression of the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel in the wrist, hence the name. This is specially true when the typist rests his/her wrist against the edge of the computer or typewriter. It is best to type with the rest “floating in the air” rather than resting (pressing) on a hard surface. Even cushioned wristpads do not help much.
To avoid and cure CTS, simple measures can help like adjusting your chair or table height to have your elbow angle at 90-100 degrees. Position your keyboard so that you don’t have to bend your hands uncomfortably upward to reach the keys; place a raised wrist rest on the table in front of the keyboard if necessary. Clinch your fists, hold for one second, then stretch your fingers out wide and hold for five seconds. Organize your workday, if possible, to intersperse other tasks with your computer work so that you’re not sitting at the computer for several hours without a break. Variety is key. Hold the mouse loosely and click lightly.
Spine alignment or posture could be caused by how one habitually sits, specially for a prolonged period of time. Whether it is computing, typing or writing, a good posture is important. Check your posture — sit up straight (thanks, mom). The monitor screen surface should be approximately 18-24 inches away from your torso. Preferably chairs should be on wheels, have backrest tilt adjustment and have arms. Be sure you have enough desktop space for work papers and other equipment. Everyone using computers must be reminded of this constantly.
Eyestrain is a very common complaint of PC users. To prevent eyestrain, one should make some efforts to reduce glare. Keep the PC away from you and at right angles to a window. Turn off or shield overhead lights. Wear a visor to block overhead lights if necessary. Place your paperwork close enough so that you don’t have to keep refocussing when switching from the screen to the paper. Use a paper document holder placed at the same height as the PC screen. Place the screen in such a manner that your line of sight is 10 to 15 degrees (about one-third of a 45-degree angle) below the horizontal position. Dust the screen often. Blink often to keep your eyes from getting dry. Tell your eye specialist that you use a PC. Glasses and contacts worn for other activities may not be good for work on a PC. If the image on the PC screen is blurred, dull, or flickers, have it serviced right away. Try keeping the PC screen at least two feet away from your eyes.
Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is another syndrome associated with excessive use of the computers and it is characterized by eyestrain associated with prolonged use of computers. Symptoms of CVS include eye irritations such as dry eye; red, itchy, and watery eyes; fatigue, including heaviness of the eyelids or forehead; and difficulty in focusing the eyes. Other symptoms of CVS are headaches, backaches and muscle spasms. A person’s vision is not suited for staring at a computer screen for many hours. Computer screens are made up of pixels or tiny dots, on which the eye cannot lock its focus. The computer user must therefore focus and refocus to keep the images sharp. This results in receptive stress of the eye muscles.
Additionally, after prolonged computer use, the frequency of blinking is decreased, which causes the eyes to dry and become sore. As a result, the ability to focus diminishes and vision may blur, which causes headaches and neck pain. Any person who spends approximately two hours a day working on a computer is at risk for developing CVS.The preventions are to Be sure the screen doesn’t flicker or wave — this could indicate that service or adjustment is needed. Look away from the screen periodically. Don’t forget to blink — your eyes need the moisture.
These were only some of the physical hazard one faces while using computers. There are many psychological aspects of PC users, too. Pornography on the Internet is a major problem we face. Such indecent exposure at an early age robs children of childhood innocence, causing severe psychological problems. An individual interested in computer games, Internet surfing, emailing, chatting, etc, develops a strong and regular compulsion and a habit of “bonding” with his computer. This is specially the case among those who are alone. The condition can be severe enough to become abnormal and unhealthy. A student was reported missing from class for days, only to be found in a room and an uninterrupted marathon of computing.
For children who play games on the PC, if they are about violence and killing people as designated “enemies”, the threshold for restraint to kill among such children is lowered. Studies have shown that some children (even adults) exposed to violence on TV, movies or computer games, have higher tendencies to violence and senseless killing.
Technology is one of the most dramatic achievements of civilization. It has increased life expectancy, broken down barriers of time and space and provided a key to unlock many social problems. In this age of technological revolution, everybody, if possible, should learn how to use computers in order to keep up with these exciting times. But the technology should be used and not abused. “Safety first” should always be the criteria while using technology.
“DON’T tell me about your aching neck, or your backache. Tell it to your computer.” Sound odd? Not for someone like me who has concerned parents and a passion for computers. “Turn off that darned thing. It’s going to ruin your eyesight. You will go blind!”
