Studying Online;Succeeding through Distance Learning at University

214 Coping online 
QUICK TIP: Stand up and stretch regularly. Sitting still for several 
hours will lead to muscular problems and increase your tiredness. 
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FOCUS ON YOUR EYES 
Staring at your computer for hours on end is not good for your 
eyesight. Indeed, optometrists have a name for it, “computer vi-
sion syndrome” (CVS). Tis is caused by staring at the screen with 
a somewhat fxed glare for an extended period. As a result, the 
muscles of your eyes do not move very much, and your eye itself 
is fxing its focus in one position. Te result is a combination of 
problems that together make up CVS. Tese include: 
y
Dry eyes 
y
Red irritated eyes 
y
Itchy eyes 
y
Eye discomfort 
y
Blurred vision 
y
Headaches. 
As a student studying online, you could be more prone to CVS 
than a traditional university student as they will be spending less 
time just staring at their computer. All of your work is conducted 
staring at a computer, so you need to take special care of your 
eyes and prevent the problem of CVS from arising. Te chances 
are very high that you will sufer from CVS. A study of university 
students found that 90 per cent of them had symptoms of CVS 
(Reddy et al., 2013). 
Obviously, taking regular breaks, as outlined earlier, will help your 
eyes in addition to all the other benefts. Every time you take a 
break, you will stop staring at your screen, thereby giving your 
eyes a rest. However, there are other steps you can take. For ex-
ample, you can buy special computer glasses. Tese are relative-
ly cheap items that you can buy from online stores. Tey slightly 
magnify the screen for you, making it easier to see your work and 

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