COMPUTER WOES START WITH EYES; VISION PROBLEMS HEAD COMPLAINTS.

Byline: Kathleen Donnelly San Jose Mercury News 

After 20 years in the work force, Suzanne O'Connor had come to expect arriving home in the evening with tired, dry eyes and an aching neck.

``I just thought this stuff was part of the job,'' said O'Connor, a department administrator at Stanford University Hospital who spends about 80 percent of her day in front of a computer monitor. ``Neck aches and eyestrain - anyone who has a desk job expects it.''

Like O'Connor, millions of Americans who work in front of video display terminals have symptoms of what the American Optometric Association calls ``computer related vision syndrome'': tired, irritated eyes; sore necks, backs and shoulders; headaches; blurry or double vision; and difficulty focusing after long days in front of the screen.

The association estimates 12 million people a year visit eye doctors for computer-related problems. That makes eyestrain and vision complaints by far the most common health problem reported by computer users, said Dr. James Sheedy, a clinical professor at the University of California at Berkeley and director of professional development at SOLA Optical in Petaluma. Sheedy has estimated that in 1993, computer users spent about $1.15 billion on eye exams and special glasses for computer work.

But vision problems haven't received as much attention as other health problems associated with computer use, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive stress injuries. That's because vision problems, while uncomfortable, are not usually debilitating. Often, people don't associate their aching backs and blurry vision with computer use at all.

``The eyestrain problems are here today and gone tomorrow, so to speak,'' Sheedy explained. ``You go home; you get a good night's sleep; you wake up the next morning and the problems are gone, only to return the next day.''

Experts say there's no evidence that using computers will permanently damage eyes, and California's new ergonomics guidelines, which went into effect July 3, do not cover computer-related vision problems because they are not musculoskeletal in nature.

But computer-related eye problems can be serious. ``I've seen some patients where their vision problems end up being so severe, they really can't continue their work,'' said Sheedy. ``I guess we would call that debilitating.''

Even if the problem doesn't keep a worker away from the computer, Sheedy said, ``You've got a productivity decrease here. When you've got people who are uncomfortable, they aren't going to be as productive.''

Trouble seeing the screen can lead to other maladies as users contort their bodies to get a better look. Hunching forward to read the small print ruins posture. So does tilting your head back to look through the bottom lens of a pair of bifocals.

``They say, `Oh, I'm tired,' or `Oh, my neck hurts,' '' said Thomas L. Lim, a San Jose optometrist who has set up a computer work station in his office so he can see exactly how his patients work, and then make eye-friendly adjustments. ``The big question we ask is this: `Do you notice this on the weekends, too?' ''

Combine constant close focusing and existing eye problems with other computer-related behavior, and problems ensue.

For example, said Sheedy, studies show that people blink much less frequently when working on computers - one study found the normal blink rate to be 22 blinks per minute and the computer-work blink rate to be just seven blinks per minute. In addition, people tend to open their eyes wider while staring at the screen. Both behaviors rob eyes of moisture, causing irritation.

Improperly arranged work spaces also contribute to the problem. Glare from windows or overly bright lights can tax eyes, as can improper positioning in front of the terminal. The problem has spawned a variety of products that claim to help prevent vision problems, from special computer-only eyeglasses to software programs that remind users to take breaks and work through eye exercises.

Suzanne O'Connor decided to skip the software and take advantage of Stanford Hospital's ergonomics specialists first.

She had her work space analyzed. Then, she got a new desk chair and changed her position in front of the monitor. Now she makes sure she gets up from her desk and focuses her eyes on distant objects at least every hour or so.

``It has improved,'' she said of her eyestrain and pain at the end of the day. ``So I think anyone who's going to sit in front of a computer should look into making changes. There are ways to make it better, and we did.''

LOOKING GOOD

Are your eyes tired after a day spent staring at the screen? Try these tips for more comfortable computing:

Take frequent breaks, and blink more to keep your eyes moist.

Do some exercises to strengthen your eye muscles, advises Abbas Moallem of the Silicon Valley Ergonomics Institute at San Jose State University. Hold a pencil about 10 inches from your face and focus on the name on its shaft as you bring it close to your face. Or follow the pencil side-to-side with your eyes.

Make sure your work station is set up to reduce eye strain. Position your monitor 20 to 26 inches away from your eyes and about four to six inches below eye level.

Use an anti-static cloth to keep dust and fingerprints off your screen.

Keep reference materials as close to the screen as possible to minimize head-and-neck movements.

If you're still bothered, schedule an eye exam. Be sure to tell your doctor under what conditions your eyes (or neck, or back) are bothered. Take some measurements of your work station - how far away you sit from the screen, whether you are looking up, down or straight at the screen - and give them to your doctor.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, Box

Photo: (1) Tom Montemar of San Jose suffers from eye strain. Dr. Tom Lim believes his problem is caused by Montemar's work with computers.

Knight-Ridder Tribune Photo Service

(2)No caption (Man getting eye exam)

Box: LOOKING GOOD (See text)