Effect of contact lens use on Computer Vision Syndrome

Ana Tauste, Elena Ronda, María José Molina and Mar Seguí

Introduction

The increasing role of information technology in the workplace has led to the computer becoming an
indispensable tool in most professions and trades. The V European Survey on Working Conditions
has reported that computer usage at work has risen steadily over the last two decades, with the
proportion of workers saying they use the computer ‘almost all the time’ or ‘most of their time’ more
than doubling, from 14% in 1991 to 31% in 2010.The use of the computer in the workplace is related
to the development of a set of ocular and visual symptoms known as Computer Vision Syndrome
(CVS), which include burning, itching, dryness, photophobia, double vision and blurred vision, among
other symptoms. CVS involves several mechanisms not only related to the damage of the ocular
surface and the tear film, but also to the possible overload of accommodation and convergence when
doing some specific tasks which normally hold high visual and cognitive demands. The probability of
developing CVS increases with length of exposure, with not taking rest periods and with years of use.

Contact lens use has also increased in recent years as the usual way to compensate refractive
errors. In Spain, 55% of contact lenses fitted in 2013 were new fits; soft conventional hydro gel lenses
accounted for 40% of all contact lens fits, and silicone hydro gel accounted for 47%. Wearing contact
lenses sometimes leads to tear film and ocular surface alterations. Characteristics like the
permeability and water content of the material, type of lens use, as well as frequency of replacement
with a new lens, affect comfort and establish the pattern of possible complications due to the fit.

While CVS has been widely studied in the last decade, a recent review suggests that few empirical
studies have analyzed the syndrome in contact lens wearers, and only three of them have observed a
statistically significant association. Furthermore, the results of this review provide weak evidence due
to the heterogeneity of the populations studied in relation to the characteristics of the groups
compared and to the different categories of computer exposure analyzed, even to the use of
unstructured and not validated questionnaires to measure CVS. This lack of consensus on the
methodological approach and the small number of articles makes it very difficult to compare the
results and rigor of the conclusions. Studies are needed that establish control groups of non-contact
lens wearers, in which all available materials are compared, and which analyze computer use and
lens-wearing habits that favor reduced symptoms. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to
analyze the relationship between CVS in computer workers and contact lens use, according to lens
materials, and to observe the effect of increasing number of hours of computer use in the workplace.