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| Oregon Company Campaigning to Make Computer Vision Syndrome a Hot Issue |
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The PRIO Corporation has developed the only class I medical device that simulates a computer screen in the examination room. PRIO claims its new test enables doctors to diagnose and treat computer vision syndrome (CVS) accurately. In addition to the company's clinical research, PRIO has been working hard behind the scenes to bring awareness to the CVS epidemic. At the national level, PRIO has attended meetings with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to ensure that CVS is considered a repetitive stress injury. PRIO has also funded several research studies to document the productivity increases that accompany good computer vision care. At the state level, PRIO has been working with the governor's office in California to include optometrists as —licensed physicians— in the state's ergonomic standard and to include CVS as a repetitive stress injury. In 1997, PRIO provided over 100 free PRIO examinations to California state government officials, including legislators, their staff, and lobbyists. PRIO is working with all 50 state optometric associations to encourage them to help lobby OSHA and Congress about CVS-related matters. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, computer vision problems are more prevalent than carpal tunnel syndrome. Symptoms of CVS include headaches, blurry vision, asthenopia, fatigue, and neck pain. According to PRIO, Cornell University recently completed a survey of more than 4500 office workers, confirming that eyestrain is the number-one complaint of office workers in America. Also, the American Optometric Association estimates that 70 to 75% of computer users experience symptoms of eyestrain. |
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