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  • Computer Vision Syndrome: Current Management Is Inadequate

    By Lynda Seminara
    Selected by Russell N. Van Gelder, MD, PhD
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    Journal Highlights

    Ophthalmology, October 2022

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    Singh et al. investigated interventions to treat eyestrain related to use of digital devices, often dubbed “computer vision syndrome” (CVS). Among the therapies that have been used for CVS, none showed high evidence of efficacy, but low-level evidence suggests that oral supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids may be somewhat helpful.

    The authors began this work by identifying appropriate randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from multiple registries. For the analysis, interven­tions were grouped by the following categories: optical aids, complementary medicine and nutritional supplements, artificial tears, environmental modifi­cation, ergonomic adjustment, visual hygiene, binocular vision training, and other. Complementary medicine and nutritional supplements were further subclassified as oral berry extract, poly­unsaturated fatty-acid supplements, antioxidant supplements, traditional medicine, combination supplements, or other interventions. The studies were appraised for risk of bias and evidence of certainty; the latter was judged ac­cording to the Grading of Recommen­dations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system.

    Forty-five RCTs were included, representing nearly 4,500 participants. The analyses showed that multifocal lenses were no better than single-vision lenses for reducing visual fatigue, with low-level certainty at best. Low-cer­tainty evidence also indicated that blue-blocking spectacles did not help to alleviate eyestrain. Compared with pla­cebo, oral supplementation with berry extract did not improve visual fatigue or dry eye symptoms, nor did it have a significant effect on critical flicker-fu­sion frequency (CFF) or accommo­dative amplitude. Relative to placebo, low-certainty evidence suggested that dry eye symptoms improve with 45 to 90 days of oral omega-3 supplements. Oral carotenoid supplementation im­proved CFF in comparison to placebo, but whether this finding is significant is unclear, said the authors.

    None of the evidence was of suffi­cient quality to support routine use of any of the reported interventions as treatment for CVS, said the authors, who also noted that methodology var­ied widely among the studies.

    The original article can be found here.