Computer cause nearsightedness?!

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All scientific evidence is INCONCLUSIVE about computers 'causing' or worsening myopia (or nearsightedness).

One thing people must understand is how populations of research are chosen. They are chosen at Random, and hence in the end there isn't enough data to conclusively say that Computers cause or worsen the myopia.

Let's say for example there IS evidence that staring at a computer screen causes Myopia - how will that change our society? All of us who are myopic and worked on computers sue our employers? Our employers sue IBM (since they pretty much commercialised PC's into every home). What would be our damages payout.... I mean, how much quality of life has degraded due to us wearing glasses/contacts? Let's say we sue and win a payout of say $100K, then we would lose our job coz our job required us to work on computers...

While we're there, why not sue car manufactures for obesity and hence cardio-vascular disease, since we don't walk or ride bikes to keep fit.

Let's use some common sense. What we know.. we as a species adapt to our environment over time. If we are a labourer, our muscles build up. If we are a thinker, our brains build up. If we live in quiet places, our ears are more sensitive, if we stare at near objects, we become myopic.

I dare all scientists (and all posters here) who found/believe that computers don't 'cause' myopia sit their 3yr old child down infront of a computer 6 hours a day... or just sit and watch TV at 2 ft from the screen... (since Radiation from these screens have been proven to be negligible).

In the end: CONSTANT & PROLONGED NEAR WORK = MYOPIA to worsen.

Computers don't cause nearsightedness. However, if you spend too much time on them, especially while wearing glasses or contacts, the constant strain to focus your eyes may worsen any nearsightedness you may already have. Even if the nearsight isn't bad enough to really notice at first, you can end up needing glasses to clearly see something even about a foot in front of you.

On a note, though: that does NOT necessarily mean that IS what happened to YOU. If your doctor says that's not what it was, then listen to him/her. Computer can affect eyesight, but that does not mean they are the ONLY thing that affect it.

Experience. I went from 20/40 to 20/180 over the course of three years, and my husband went from nearly 20/20 to 20/100 in about the same time.

All scientific studies show that there is no evidence that computers cause nearsightedness. If they did then all computer professionals would be short sighted and suing their companies. Having worked in computing for 30 years I can tell you this isn't true. Its about the shape of yoru eyeball - how can a computer screen influence that. Suggest that you show your mother a website showing why an eye is nearsighted.

I'm a heavy computer user and it has not affected my near vision, but has strained my left(weaker than right since ever). It might cause eye floaters tho, so stop, you don't want to have them.

First hand experience