A Japanese study warned that spending an average of at least eight hours a day staring at computer screens could alter a person's tear fluids, leading to dry eye-like symptoms.
Researchers from the School of Medicine at Keio University in Tokyo, Japan examined the tear fluids from both eyes of 96 Japanese office workers and measured the presence of MUC5AC.
MUC5AC is a protein secreted by cells in the upper eyelid that forms a "tear film" that keeps the eye moist. Once the amount of MUC5AC falls below its normal level, a person could suffer from dry eye diseases.
"To understand patients' eye strain, which is one of major symptoms of dry eye disease, it is important that ophthalmologist pay attention to MUC5AC concentration in tears," Dr. Yuichi Uchino, lead author of the study and ophthalmologist at the School of Medicine at Keio University, told Reuters Health.
The symptoms of dry eye disease are mild for most people but if left untreated, could become painful and may lead to complications including decreased quality of life. Common symptoms observed included stinging or scratchy sensation in the eyes, increased eye irritation and eye fatigue, sensitivity to light, excessive tearing, and blurred vision after staring at something for a long period. People older than 50, women and those who had laser eye surgery and radiation therapy are most at risk.
Aside from collecting samples of tear fluids from the participants, the researchers also asked them to accomplish a questionnaire to get details of their work hours and symptoms of eye problems.
The researchers found a direct correlation on the number of hours spent staring at a computer screen and the amount of MUC5AC present on the tear fluid. Office workers who spent more than eight hours a day staring at their computer screens had an average of 6.8 nanograms of MUC5AC per milligram of protein per eye. Those who worked seven hours had an average of 5.9 ng/mg of MUC5AC and 9.6 ng/mg for those who worked less than five hours a day.
According to Reuters Health, office workers could prevent developing dry eye disease by blinking their eyes once in a while, installing a humidifier, and staying away from the air conditioner.
The results of the study were published in the June 5 issue of JAMA Ophthalmology.
