Alice,
My eyes feel dry and swollen after hours of staring at the computer
monitor. Is there any long range harm caused by spending both work and
play time in front of the computer? I work out, and eat a healthy,
low-fat diet. I don't have any other vices except perhaps a higher than
normal caffeine intake.
—Computer nerd
Dear Computer nerd,
Based on available scientific evidence, the American Academy of
Ophthalmology considers video display terminals (VDTs) to be safe for
normal use, and to present no hazard to the eye. There is no convincing
experimental or epidemiological evidence that exposure to VDTs results in
cataracts, or any other organic damage to the eye.
Questions have arisen regarding the safety and comfort of VDT use.
Tests indicate that radiation levels produced by VDTs are well below
maximum permissible exposure levels. In a study done by Bell Labs, they
found that the amount of ultraviolet radiation produced by VDTs is a
small fraction of that produced by fluorescent lighting.
Although there is no evidence that VDTs cause permanent ocular
pathology, in some work environments, their use is associated with
complaints of physical discomfort, including irritation (red, teary or
dry eyes), fatigue (tired, aching heaviness of the eyelids), difficulty
focusing (blurriness for seeing near or far objects), headaches, and other
musculoskeletal discomforts. Studies show that most of these complaints
are due to poor ergonomic structure of the workplace, lack of attention
to the lighting and reflectance level of work surfaces, the type and
intensity of the job demands, and the quality of the video display.
Adjustments that can be made to help alleviate some of the eye
irritation and fatigue that you may feel after working on the computer
for long periods of time include:
- Adjust your eyeglasses for the distance at which you view your
monitor (16 - 27 inches).
- Turn your eyes away from the screen periodically as you work.
- Place your screen and document holder at the same distance from your
eyes to avoid constant changes of focus.
- Adjust lighting in your workspace/room to reduce glare.
- Adjust screen intensity to sharpen images.
- Use a monitor whose contrast and brightness you can control.
- Place your screen at a viewing angle of 15 - 35 degrees below your
horizontal eye level.
Most important, take breaks and try to vary your routine so that you
aren't working on the computer for incredibly long periods of time every
day.
- Alice
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Video display terminals
