Office workers have their share of work-related hazards. People who use video display
terminals (VDTs) may often complain of eyestrain, pain, stiffness in their backs and
shoulders, and stress. These complaints can be a result of:
Using a VDT for long periods of time
Improper positioning of the VDT
Poor lighting
Poor posture
Tight deadlines
Persons can protect themselves from the physical problems that go with using VDTs with the Self-Care Tips listed below.
Do you still have eyestrain, or eyestrain with back
and shoulder stiffness despite using Self-Care Tips provided? |
 |
To Prevent
Eyestrain:
Place the screen so
that your line of sight is 10 to 15 degrees (about one-third of a 45-degree angle) below
horizontal.
Dust the screen often.
Reduce glare. Position the VDT at right
angles to a window. Turn off or shield overhead lights. Wear a visor to block overhead
lights if necessary.
Place your paperwork close enough that you
don't have to keep refocusing when switching from the screen to the paper. Use a paper
document holder placed at the same height as the VDT screen.
Blink often to keep your eyes from getting
dry. Use "artificial tear" eyedrops if needed.
Tell your eye specialist that you use a
VDT. Glasses and contacts worn for other activities may not be good for VDT work. (With
bifocals, the near-vision part of the lens is good for looking down, as when you read, but
not for looking straight ahead, as when you look at a video display screen. So, you may
need single-vision lenses for VDT work.)
If the image on the VDT screen is blurred,
dull, or flickers, have it serviced right away.
Try to keep the VDT screen 2 feet away from
your eyes.
To Prevent Muscle Tension When You Work on a
VDT:
Use a chair that supports
your back and can be easily adjusted to a height that feels right for you.
Take a 15-minute break if you can, for
every 2 hours you use a VDT. Get up and go for a short walk, for example.
Do stretching exercises of the neck,
shoulder, and lower back every 1 to 2 hours.
Rotate your head in a circular motion, first clockwise, then counterclockwise.
Shrug your shoulders up, down, backward, and forward.
While standing or sitting, bend at the waist, leaning first to the left, then to the
right.
HEALTH AT HOME - Your Complete Guide to Symptoms, Solutions, and Self-Care © 1999 by Don R. Powell. American Institute for Preventive Medicine.
Date updated 02/01/99