From vicc@extro.ucc.su.OZ.AU Ukn Feb 14 13:04:24 1995 From: Vic Cinc Subject: Vision training tools? (fwd) Date: Tue, 14 Feb 1995 17:57:30 +1100 (EST) Status: RO X-Status: hi >For the last 7-8 months I've used the computer many hours a day. My right >eye, which was weaker to start with, has really gotten worse, to the >extent that I am considering glasses. I've tried the pinholes, which help >some, but don't feel like a good solution. >Has anyone found a way to deal with this? I guess I would do exercises if >I thought it would work. I'd love to try the Accomotrack, but there are >none in my city (Albuquerque). I just read a patent on a prismatic pair >of glasses that address the problem. > >Help! I use a computer screen around 8-14 hours a day. the things to take note are. sit near a window with a nice distant view. try to spend more time looking out the window then your screen. usually what happens when you stare at a computer screen is you develop a good fixed stare. so you want to reverse this process and do things like moving your eyes around the socket as often as possible. also your eyes have a tendency to dry up when staring at a screen, and posture caves in. so you want to remember to blink often, and get a decent chair to sit in. I have a chiropractically approved chair I bought for myself cause work didnt want to. since you are catching this at an early stage all the standard bates techniques have a very high chance of reversing your problem quickly. eg palming, sunning. shifting. etc. Vic ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Tue Nov 14 23:15:21 EST 1995 Date: Tue, 14 Nov 1995 22:55:46 -0500 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: Mark Gold's holistic eye health tips Status: RO X-Status: The following query popped up on sci.med.vision. Mark Gold, one of the Internet's more infamous Holistic Health Champions (see his web page, given at the bottom of this document), has carbon-copied me his detailed, informative response. Now, I forward it on to you, I_SEE readers! --Alex ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 14 Nov 1995 22:41:32 -0500 (EST) From: Mark Gold To: bertlove@netrunner.net Cc: aeulenbe@ezinfo.ucs.indiana.edu, mgold@tiac.net Subject: Re: Trouble at the computer >Date: Mon, 13 Nov 1995 18:39:52 -0500 >From: bertlove@netrunner.net >Newgroups: sci.med.vision >Subject: Trouble at the computer > >Hi, I am a computer professional who uses a computer >extensively every day. Ever since the monitors have >upgraded from mono (that's some time ago!), I've had brief >>episodes of double vision, partial loss of vision in one >eye, speech interference, nausea and difficulty doing manual >operations. The symptoms are usually mild, but can be >severe. I've attributed much of this to stress, but I think >it might be vision related. I know fingerprints on my >monitor will cause a headache in less than 15 minutes. It >is possible that all these symptoms are due to some type of >migraine headache which is vision induced. > >Does anyone know what this is and what can be done about >it, or who I should see for further evaluation? Bert, Here are a few ideas to discuss with your healthcare practitioner when you visit him/her to diagnose the problem. Of course you don't want to try everything at once, but one or two of the ideas may prove useful in finding a solution to the problem. 1. Computer setup a. Ergonomics -- The setup of your workstation is very important. Even though the setup may not have changed for a long time, it could be a contribuatory factor to your problems. As a computer professional you know that one way to solve a problem is to logically, in a step-by-step fashion, go through each possible cause. So, *please* take a little bit time (and it doesn't take much) to check and adjust the height *and* position of the keyboard, monitor, chair, and mouse. If you need more information about the proper setup, please contact the occupational health department in your company or email me and I can provide the information I have. b. Lighting -- The can be another contribuatory factor to health problems which develop with computer use. Once again, even if you have had the same lighting for years, it can still be a contribuatory factor. If you are using typical fluorescent lighting, for an 8-hour+ day, I cannot too strongly recommend getting different lighting. The spectrum from fluorescent lighting is quite a bit different than natural sunlight and is not only bad for the eyes, but bad for health in general *if* one spends a considerable length of time in that lighting. I recommend going with natural spectrum light bulbs such as Vita-lite. The natural spectrum fluorescent bulbs tend not to be as bright as many typical fluorescent bulbs, so you may have to supplement it with an incandescent bulbs. Even if you have to just use incandescent bulbs, it's better than fluorescent lighting as long as you use enough lighting so as not to be in the dark. Another light to consider is an Ott Light which is about as close to natural sunlight as you can get because it is full spectrum and includes an ultraviolet light. Just be sure that it isn't too dark, i.e., programming by computer light. Below are some lighting companies. Also, I recommend contacting the OTT-Light company and asking for information about research by John Ott. He performed decades of research on the health effects of differnt lighting and computer monitors on plants and animals. Vitality Concepts, Inc. Full Spectrum Lighting Specialists 1406 W. Summerdale Ave. Chicago, IL 60640-2116 (312) 275-1443 (800) 252-0220 FAX (312) 275-7997 OTT-Light Environmental Lighting Concepts, Inc. 3923 Coconut Palm Drive #101 Tampa, FL 33619 (813) 621-0058 FAX (813) 626-8790 Hughes Lighting Technologies 34 Yacht Club Drive Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849 (800) 544-4825 (201) 663-1214 Duro-Test 9 Law Dr. Fairfield, NJ 07007 (800) BUY0DURO (201) 808-6622 Sells Vita-lite. Call and ask for local retailer. The SunBox Company (has a dawn simulator $219 among others) 19217 Orbit Dr. Gaithersburg, MD 20879 (800) 548-3968 (301) 869-5980 Apollo Light Systems, Inc. 352 West 1060 South Orem, UT 84058 (800) 545-9667 (801) 226-2370 Bio-Brite, Inc. (light visor mfg.) 7315 Wisconsin Ave. #1300 W Bethesda, MD 20814-3202 (800) 621-5483 (301) 961-8557 c. Computer Monitor -- Color monitors tend to have a much stronger electric field in front of the monitor than a monochrome monitor. Your computer monitor should meet the Swedish standards for magnetic and electric fields. Check with the manufacturer and/or your occupational health department (which can sometimes perform on-site measurements). You can also purchase a measuring device from Safe Technologies (see below) and do the measurement yourself. The old Mac RGB monitors used to have an extremely high magnetic field in front of the monitor. Their newer RGB monitors (since a few years ago), meets the Swedish standards. There are alot of subtle changes that occur from exposure to EMF (e.g., changes in blood-brain barrier permiability), such that if you are a computer professional and spend 8 hours a day in front of a computer, it might be a good investment to get an ultra-low magnetic and electric field monitor. The electric field produced by today's monitors is a big problem (in 8-hour/day exposure) for many people in my opinion, especially those people with chronic immune system disorders. For many years, I had a monitor from Safe Technologies Corporation. It produces a magnetic field at approximately 1/10 the Swedish standard and cuts down the electric field in front of the monitor to almost zero. It helped me to be able to work eight hours in front of the computer (with breaks) without eyestrain. It costs more than a PC SVGA monitor, but about the same as a color Mac monitor, at least when I bought it. Another option is to get a NoRad shield that cuts down on the electric field significantly. I would stay away from the cheap glare screens which don't really do anything as far as the electric or magnetic fields. One scientist I have spoken to believes that the positive ions put out in front of the monintor attach themselves to particulates in the air. When those particulates get in the eye (as they generally do), they are more irritating because of the positive ions. Safe Technologies Corporation 145 Rosemary St. Needham, MA 02194 USA (800) 638-9121, (617) 444-7778 They sell extremely low magnetic field (1/10 Swedish standard) and electric field SVGA monitors. The monitors a brand-name monitors that are specially modified. I bought one of their monitors and it is many times easier on my eyes than any other one in our department. They also sell "zero" radiation monitors, but they are more expensive. NoRad 1549 11 St., Santa Monica, CA 90401 USA (301) 395-8800 They sell a shield that goes over the screen. It cuts down most of the electric field and some of the magnetic field that usually reaches the computer user. Another thing to watch out for is the crispness of the letters on the monitor. This is especially important with color monitors since they use three electron beams to produce images on the screen and therefore the letters will usually not be as crisp as on monochrome monitors (even if you use black & white letters). Some recent monitors such as the Apple 21-inch color monitor was horrendous (in many cases) for focusing the letters. When I brought our department's 21-inch monitor in for focusing, there were many others who had returned their monitor because of this problem. Even lettering which is only slightly out of focus or "blurry" (i.e., not crisp) can cause problems (e.g., eyestrain, headaches, etc.). This is not something to get paranoid about, but it is a good idea to check and compare to other brands of color monitors in the company (or friend's monitors) to see if there is a problem. Another thing you can do is swap monitors with someone else and work with it for a while to see if you find your condition improving. Finally, I have heard that monitor refresh rates can effect people if they are set wrong (or something). I don't know much about this. Perhaps someone else does? Whatever the case, switching to another monitor for a while (especially another brand) will help narrow down the problem. 2. Air When I lost the use of my Safe Technologies ultralow magnetic and electric field monitor, I went out and bought an air filter/negative ion generator. It was well worth the cost in my opinion. No longer am I working for 8 hours, breathing stale, "dirty" air and being bombarded by positive ions. If you can't set up a low-electric field monitor, I highly recommend getting a filter/negative ion generator. (Even if you can get such a monitor, it still might be a good idea.) Working in a "positive ion environment" for 8 hours a day is a bad idea in the long run in my opinion. In addition, consider whether there is a possibility that the air quality in your office is bad or has worsened. For example, did a carpet get installed in the last year at work or at home? Is the air too dry? Are you working or sleeping in a dusty environment? Have you changed your bedding recently (e.g., sheets, quilt, matress, etc.). Some bedding and furniture products are treated with formaldehyde (even some "all cotton" "natural" products). Investigate possible air quality problems in places where you spend considerable time such as sleeping and at work. Yes, air quality problems can lead to health problems, including vision problems in my opinion. There are many different brands of filters/negative ion generators. Some produce too much ozone to spend time around while running. Others have worthless filters. The filter I bought not too long ago is working very well and I recommend it for high quality at a reasonable price. N.E.E.D.S. 527 Charles Ave. Syracuse, NY 13209 (800) 634-1380 AllerMed Airstar 5c 3. Diet If you are having vision problems, the first thing to consider as far as food and nutrition goes is whether you are using aspartame/ NutraSweet in any of your products (soda, gum, cereal, vitamins/ supplements, pharmaceuticals). Aspartame is notoriously bad for the eyes and bad for health in general, especially over the long-term. Beyond cutting out aspartame, a junk food diet or a Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) will contribute to health problems in the long run. You may want to investigate *gradually* moving towards a "natural foods diet" such as that described in books by Annamarie Colbin ("Food and Healing" and "The Book of Whole Meals"). It will pay off in the long run and might help any eye problems. 4. Stress Release Stress can definately be a factor in eye problems. I am sure that Alex has mentioned the relationship between stress and the eyes. If you are doing eye relaxation and improvement exercises, you may want to continue that. The following ideas have helped me in the past: a. It is very helpful to try and create a ***routine*** where you take a regular break every hour for a couple of minutes to relax the eyes. You can use the palming relaxation technique or other relaxation techniques that you can get from many of the eyecare professionals on this newsgroup. Email for more info. Also, I strongly recommend taking a 10-15 minute break every 2 to 3 hours. Try going outside in the sunlight without glasses or contacts (if possible) and either think about something fun or focus the mind on taking deep breaths. Thinking about computer stuff for 8+ hours a day can be a drain and stressful. Contact aeulenbe@ezinfo.ucs.indiana.edu for extensive information on taking care of your eyesight. b. Take a yoga class and develop a short yoga routine. It is best to take a class so you get the poses correct. A short yoga routine is a very good way to keep daily stresses from building up over time and leading to health problems. c. Perform a short breathwork routine. This can be a good way to increase energy and release stress, especially stress which is held in the body around the diaphram area. I recommend the short 5-10 daily routine detailed in the book: Conscious breathing by Gay Hendricks, Ph.D. Bantam Books, c1995 ISBN 0-553-37443-5 c. Get a moderate amount of aerobic exercise (perhaps every other day), but not too much. By the way, swimming in a chlorinated pool can be hard on the eyes for many people. 5. Other Sometimes, an herbal eyewash can be helpful. One popular eyewash is making eyebright tea in real spring water or distilled water and putting the *cooled, room temperature* tea in a bowl. Then put your face in the bowl and open up one eye at a time. Move the eye around by looking in different directions. Some people make compresses for the eye by dipping a cotton cloth in the tea and putting it over close eyes for 10-15 minutes. There's a bunch of other herbs that can be useful. Check with your local herbalist. There are a bunch of other possible contribuatory factors, but it would take a more detailed description of your case and health & lifestyle history to narrow the other less common cases down. Best Wishes, - Mark mgold@tiac.net http://www.tiac.net/users/mgold/health.html (Web articles on Food & Nutrition, Yoga, aspartame/NutraPoison, sweetener resources, stevia, toxic carpeting, rBGH, fluoride, MSG detoxification, mental health resources. Much more to come. Lots of links to medical and holistic healing sites. Will email articles if you do not have WWW access. =========================================================================