3.5 years ago

anonymous FitEyes member ♦ 1.1k

@member_31

As a new iCare user, I am noticing that my eye pressure increases when I am working at the computer. I have low pressure first thing in the morning and again at the end of the day.

But once I get on the computer and start working my pressure goes up. In one eye particularly (R). The other (L) recently had trab surgery and only goes up a little.

What's not clear yet to me is whether it's just being in front of the screen, or whether it's more so the stress/anxiety of work. I am kind of thinking it's more the latter but I need to collect more data to know for sure.

I am learning that I have this background stress/anxiety related to work that has become so ingrained that I don't even really notice it as that. But then back in January when I started to monitor my BP that it also consistently goes up once I start working.

Is it the computer use itself or the associated stress/anxiety that is increasing my IOP?

3.5 years ago

silentsneg • 90

@silentsneg

I'm happy to report that I haven't noticed spikes lately. What did it? Not sure, or all the above (bellow) that was recommended by many of you, the readers here, and I'm grateful for it.

1. Keep the eyes moist. I keep on using my MSM drops and other lubricant eye drops.

2. Keep looking away every 20, or so minutes, as someone recommended. I do palming too, and I find it very soothing.

3. I try to get up and walk around.

4. I check my breathing and correct it if too shallow.

5. I try to keep the room light, it appears my eyes don't lie staring at the computer in dark rooms.

6. Maybe just being mindful about it helps, too.

So not sure what did it but I haven't seen spikes for maybe 2 weeks. Yay!

3.6 years ago

david 4.3k

@david_fe

What's not clear yet to me is whether it's just being in front of the screen, or whether it's more so the stress/anxiety of work.

For most people, it is the stress/anxiety rather than just being in front of the screen.

In my case I have a lot of IOP data on this over a long period of time. I have carefully tested many types of computer activities. For a long time I kept my tonometer on my desk beside my computer. Working on the computer does not raise my IOP at all. But engaging in something stressful will. Years ago I found out that even writing an angry email would make my IOP increase.

I have found that my tonometer is one of the most helpful, sensitive and convenient ways to check my level of stress/anxiety. The combination of meditation and self-tonometry is very synergistic. Together, they can inform and guide us in self-improvement and stress management.

Since starting self-tonometry, I have become a better person. In that sense, glaucoma has been a blessing for me. Whatever the effect glaucoma has on me individually, the bigger impact of glaucoma is that everyone I interact with in my life is likely to have a more positive experience because of what I have learned on this journey of glaucoma, self-tonometry and meditation.

If this interests you, you can find several blog posts where I go into more detail here:

Top FitEyes Blog Posts | FitEyes.com

The following article is also relevant:

The Effect of Daily Life Activities on Intraocular Pressure-related Variations in Open-angle Glaucoma

3.6 years ago

dlarochemd • 120

@dlarochemd

Accommodation causes increased iridolenticular rubbing and pigment liberation and can further obstruct the trabecular meshwork leading to IOP increases. Earlier uncomplicated cataract surgery/refractive lensectomy and migs can help lower IOP and reduce this.

3.6 years ago

dlarochemd • 120

@dlarochemd

Intraocular pressure change during reading or writing on smartphone Ahnul Ha, Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing,#1,2 Young Kook Kim, Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Methodology, Writing – review & editing,#1,2 Young Joo Park, Data curation, Formal analysis, Resources, Visualization,1,3 Jin Wook Jeoung, Data curation, Writing – review & editing,1,2 and Ki Ho Park, Conceptualization, Data curation, Supervision, Writing – review & editing1,2,* Sanjoy Bhattacharya, Editor

Abstract Purpose To investigate the effect of reading or writing on a smartphone in terms of intraocular pressure (IOP) changes.

Design Prospective, comparative case series.

Participants Thirty-nine (39) healthy young (age < 40) volunteers.

Methods The participants were requested to conduct standardized work (i.e., read a sample text on single mobile device and subsequently type it on the same device) under daylight [300 lux] and low-light [100 lux] conditions independently on consecutive days. On each day, three sets of IOP measurements (total: 7) using a rebound tonometer (iCare PRO; Tiolat, Helsinki, Finland) were performed: (1) pre-work (baseline) [2 measurements], (2) during smartphone work [5, 15, and 25 minutes], and (3) post-work [5 and 15 minutes].

Main outcome measures Changes in IOP at different check-out points.

Results Under the daylight condition, the mean baseline IOP was 13.7 ± 1.8 mmHg, and the mean IOP increased after 5 minutes of work (14.1 ± 1.8 mmHg; +2.0 ± 1.9%; P < 0.001). When the smartphone work lasted for 15 minutes, the IOP showed a further significant increase (15.5 ± 1.7 mmHg; +12.9 ± 4.4%; P < 0.001), which persisted over the course of the 25 minutes of smartphone work (15.3 ± 1.8 mmHg; +11.1 ± 3.9%; P < 0.001); then, after stopping work for 5 minutes, the IOP was restored (13.9 ± 1.7 mmHg; +0.9 ± 2.1%; P = 0.220). Under the low-light condition, the mean IOP was significantly increased immediately after 5 minutes of smartphone work (from 13.9 ± 1.9 to 15.6 ± 1.8 mmHg; +12.1 ± 4.8%; P < 0.001); this IOP increase continued: 17.3 ± 1.9 [+24.7 ± 10.3%] at 15 minutes’ work, and 17.0 ± 1.7 mmHg [+23.1 ± 9.5%] at 25 minutes’ work (P < 0.001 at both check-out points). Five minutes after stopping the smartphone work, interestingly, the IOP significantly dropped, to a level even lower than that of the pre-work (12.8 ± 1.9 mmHg; -8.1 ± 3.0%; P < 0.001), and at post-work 15 minutes, the IOP returned to the baseline (13.9 ± 1.8 mmHg; -0.3 ± 2.6%; P = 0.360).

Conclusions In healthy young subjects, reading or writing on smartphone significantly increased IOP, and the changes of IOP were faster and greater under the low-light condition. Smartphone users who are concerned about IOP fluctuation are advised to (1) take a break if they read or write on smartphone for more than 5 minutes, and (2) avoid using smartphones wherever possible in dark places.

3.6 years ago

David 370

@davidventureconconau

Maybe the IOP rise is caused by reactions and adjustments our eyes make to the light, especially when that light's brightness is too different to that of surrounding light.

Try turning your screen brightness down to as low a level as you can use while still seeing things clearly. A warm hue (yellowish) may also relax the eyes better than a cool hue (white/blue). There's software for this, e.g. f.lux https://justgetflux.com/