Macular Degeneration

Your first stop for information and help
Comparison of the Therapies at AMD (70x24cm)
Table Therapies at AMD
View table
and / or print it
Evaluation of patients' experiences with conventional and alternative therapies at dry and wet macular degeneration. Includes success, risks, cost, addresses...

Updated: May 2012

Macular Degeneration & VDU Work

Is VDU dangerous if a macular degeneration is already present?

This question is one of the most frequently asked at all. We think that this question actually has a high importance, because many are affected by macular degeneration still work or private work on my computer and often several hours a day.

According to Marketing magazine display screen is one of more than 21 million employees in Germany to their daily work

And now we have quite a lot of reports concerned, they feel, screen have already harmed their eyes, some of us argued against even the computers have cost her the sight.

That was for us the occasion, the problems related macular degeneration and screen work and a lot more time to devote to their own page. We have researched in the literature and the internet and found some interesting things out.

Our Result::
VDU does not seem to be risky in principle, but if you exceed the individual sound levels present at existing macular degeneration, it can be quite dangerous. The sound level can be exceeded very quickly.

When is the sound level exceeded and what can you tell?

The Pharmaceutical newspaper writes that complained, according to a study already after 3 hours of computer work, almost 80 percent of the respondents on appeals to the eyes and back. These symptoms indicated that a mismatch between visual requirements and vision would be to the study.

The Federal Institute for Occupational explained that an overuse of the eyes by burning, itching, redness, blurred vision, double vision or headaches expressed most frequently. Especially for those affected by macular degeneration, we consider it very serious.

We recommend that all those affected by macular degeneration, at least every 1-2 hours, a hiatus in order not to strain your eyes too much, or more often if necessary. My personal feeling is the most important criterion.

The occupational physician Dr. Fischer also recommends conscious, regular "look into the distance." That means about 1 minute with a goal in at least six feet away and look at look at its contours. This scattered regularly in the work process, could provide a significant relief to the eyes. We have also found some information, could repeatedly open and close the eyes fixed and additional relief.

Other recommendations for those affected by macular degeneration, we have taken for you at the end of this text together.

Why is VDU so dangerous at an existing macular degeneration?

The Board of Trustees Good vision, outlined the day the view from screen users about 30,000 times between manuscript, keyboard and monitor switches back and forth.

The Guild Opticians Vienna, explains that the drying up of the eye constitutes a significant problem. The intense view of a monitor reduces the lid blink frequency of the eye of about ten per minute to about three to four blinks of the eye. The wetting of the eye and take it from start to dry out.

We suspect, for patients with macular degeneration can lead to a further substantial burden.

Dr. Wolfgang Oestreich writes, moreover, that a clear correlation between the increase of short-sightedness and a screen-sharing is seen.

We have also researched, experts warn the long, which could focus on permanent display screen of the lens to near vision draw a myopia of about half a diopter for themselves.
back to top

Are there in depth studies on this? We have researched for you.

In a study by the University of Frankfurt in 1998, it was found that increase with the duration of the display screen, the eye complaints. The study says that especially older people over 45 years significantly impact the ability to complain about seeing more than younger ones. The frequency to wear glasses for people doing VDU has climbed strongly over the past 45 years. We are the studies, particularly in relation to macular degeneration, then watch for you.
back to top

How can I set up my computer room so that the eyes do not suffer too much - especially in conjunction with macular degeneration?

Below we have tried to provide the evidence from the literature and studies to compose for you. We have also evidence of some subjects with macular degeneration from their own practice to incorporate with.

The publisher Springer Science considers the following as particularly important:
  • With a tendency to dry eyes, it may be helpful to moisten the air in the work
  • Eye relief of about 60-80 cm to monitor compliance.
    The bigger the screen, the greater the distance.
  • The screen should, if possible, at right angles to the window are
  • Avoid glare and reflections in the monitor as possible.
    Especially if you suffer from macular degeneraton.
According to Pharmaceutical Magazine Online you should also pay attention to the following point:
  • Optimal is a job with daylight
  • Avoid bright reflections on the screen and on the desk
  • Very bright wallpaper and furniture surfaces may also reflect

back to top

What else should I look out for to protect me, especially at macular degeneration?

Taking the VDU order of 1996 and the recommendations of Federal Employment Agency into account, we have the following hints and tips for you:
  • The displayed characters on the screen must be sharp, clear and sufficiently large.
  • Avoid very low contrast or low brightness. .
  • Take regular breaks (at least every 2 hours).
The Monitor magazine recommends approximately every 30 minutes to work before the monitor for a few minutes to interrupt. We believe that should appeal especially patients with existing macular degeneration often breaks.

In order to additionally relieve your eyes here once more the recommendations of the work medic Dr. Fischer:
  • Take away the gaze deliberately from the monitor and look into the far.
That would mean, according to Dr. Fischer, about 1 minute look at a target at least six feet away and look at its contours. This scattered into the work, could provide a significant relief to the eyes.


We hope these hints can help you to reduce stress and strain your eyes with macular degeneration something. We should believe in signs such as burning eyes or tears, blurred vision or headaches possible to immediately stop the display screen. We also think that we should deal with an existing macular degeneration much more careful with his eyes than you may believe you. may reduce its own screen work difficult but make your eyesight later to have is certainly a lot harder.
back to top