An Overview of Common Computer Vision-Related Symptoms and Patterns Amongst Administrative Staff of a University in South Africa

Computer vision syndrome is one of the leading occupational hazards of the 21<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">st</sup> century with symptoms affecting the majority of computer users. Computers continue to be the most commonly used office tools in universities across the globe, however their prolonged use remains associated with an increase in health risk of computer vision syndrome. This paper presents an overview of a cross-sectional study of 406 administrative staff of a college of health sciences in a South African university. Data collected through an online self-administered questionnaire showed a high prevalence of computer vision syndrome and the risk being higher among participants who used the computer for more than seven hours. The risk of computer vision syndrome was apparent, indicating the need for modification of the work environment ergonomics and improved participant education on appropriate eye care as preventative strategies.