Sixty million people suffer from eye problems due to computer work—and that number is rising by a million a year. Why? All those hours we spend at the computer are straining our eyes, creating a condition known as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).

Computer images are created from thousands of tiny dots--so there is no distinct image for your eye to actually focus on. You have to focus and refocus to keep the images sharp--and after two hours you end up with the same kind of repetitive stress in your eye muscles that the keyboard causes in your wrists.

It won't cause permanent damage, but it is--literally--a pain.

The symptoms are dry, red, irritated eyes; headaches; back and neck aches; and trouble focusing. Lots of people don't even know they have CVS. But now that you know what to look for, you can guard against it.

• Keep your computer screen within 20"-24" of your eyes
• Keep the top of your computer screen slightly below eye level
• Minimize the distance between your computer screen and any documents you need to   reference while working
• Use drops, such as artificial tear, to soothe irritated, dry eyes
• Adjust lighting to minimize glare on the screen
• Take a break every 15 minutes to focus on a distant object
• Blink frequently