Since the Coronavirus Pandemic, our work, social lives, entertainment and news updates are all being fed to us through screens. 1.5 Years later, we are now more attuned with the phenomenon known as “screen fatigue;” a condition that has plagued stationary office workers for years, but is now a problem seen in children of all ages. It’s a condition that affects millions of Americans who work on computers, but can be triggered by any screen — smartphones and laptops are two major causes.
Although class is back in session for most students nationwide for the 2021-2022 school year, with students retuning to in-person learning, there is still much to learn about this phenomenon. In this article, we will address screen fatigue (what is it? What are the signs? How can it be treated?) and its counterpart known as “zoom fatigue” – (What is it? What are the signs?) We will also provide some recommendations for both Therapists and Educators as they gear up for the school year.
“Screen fatigue” is also called computer vision syndrome, or CVS, and it’s incredibly common. Screen Fatigue Is Real.
According to UCLA Health:
Computer-related eye fatigue, also referred to as computer vision syndrome, describes the combination of eye and vision-related problems associated with prolonged computer use. Working at a computer for extended periods of time is visually demanding, requiring frequent eye movement, eye focusing, and eye alignment processes. Problems can occur when the visual demands of the task exceed the visual abilities of the individual to perform the task comfortably.
Images on computer screens are formed by tiny dots called pixels, so the eyes have to work harder to keep the pixelated images in focus. There is no scientific evidence that staring at a computer screen for long periods is harmful to the eyes or will cause permanent eye damage. Working on a computer, however, is a demanding visual task that can make your eyes may feel dry and tired.
Studies show that humans blink half the usual amount of time when using computers. Blinking leaves a thin layer of tear film over the front of the eye, helping the eye to focus properly. Not blinking can cause images to look blurry and lead to dry eyes.
Eyestrain can be made worse by:
Signs and symptoms of computer-related eye fatigue may include:
Other steps to alleviate eyestrain:
You can also try eye yoga.
Zoom Fatigue is a mental and physical challenge. According to Telehealth.org, Zoom Fatigue environmental distractions come in three forms:
A recent National Geographic article describes some causes of Zoom Fatigue:
The response to the COVID-19 virus is unprecedented. Because of our unique role in children’s K-12 education, we feel a responsibility to do what we can to assist schools, therapists, and students with this transition to online learning and seclusion. Our therapists will provide complimentary “Support Sessions” to the country’s youth to ensure that our clients remain engaged and supported. We will also be assisting schools by training therapists for remote therapy.
Abington Speech Pathology and RemoteSpeech.com are uniquely prepared to provide assistance for parents of children with Speech-Language Pathology.
Abington Speech Pathology is managed and owned by a licensed speech-langauge pathologist. All of the company’s directors are licensed and remain clinical to better direct and support both the company’s clients and the clinical staff.
Through the years the company’s client base continues to grow and remains loyal. ASPS, INC has expanded its services to include Physical therapy, Occupational therapy, Teachers of the visually and hearing impaired, and School psychologists. ASPS, INC. now operates two offices. The corporate office is in eastern PA and services all 5 major counties surrounding the metro Philadelphia area. The Southern CA office services the Los Angeles and Orange County metro areas and at this point only offers speech pathology services to all settings.
The company offers the professional staff a lending library of materials. In PA, there are 2-3 continuing educational seminars to assist on clinical growth and state and national mandated continuing education requirements.
RemoteSpeech is a subsidiary of Abington Speech Pathology Services, a multi-faceted Rehab company that has provided Speec50h Staffing and support throughout the country for more than 20 years. RemoteSpeech combines crystal clear voice with the sharpest video to provide next-generation video calling and high-definition video delivery.
Prior to the Covid 19 pandemic, Orna Kempler-Azulay, President of RemoteSpeech, says the demand for speech-language therapists was outpacing the supply in some cities. RemoteSpeech is here to meet the demand. With its live, face-to-face interaction, RemoteSpeech is not the next best thing to being there in person — it’s just as good, and, in some cases, even better. With advanced state-of-the-art games, activities, and interactive screen sharing, students and adults will actually look forward to their therapy sessions.
Click Here to Learn More About Our Telepractice – Remote Speech-Language Therapy!
