EYESTRAIN

More and more people are spending more and more time working on personal computers in their homes, and that could mean an increased risk of eyestrain or fatigue. In fact, if you spend several hours a day staring at a video display terminal (VDT), the risk of eyestrain is relatively high, unless you take some basic precautions.

One way to avoid “VDT eyestrain” is to take regular breaks and get away from the monitor screen. This is especially important if you spend a full work day (6 to 8 hours) working on a computer. Experts recommend that you take a 10 to 15 minute break every 2 to 3 hours and refocus your eyes (some doctors recommend that you take periodic breaks every 20 to 30 minutes and focus on distant objects). You may also consider working from a printout of your screen, rather than the screen itself, whenever possible.

Another way to avoid eyestrain is to work from a darker screen. Many times computer users operate their VDTs at such a bright level, eyestrain is a frequent result. Try turning the brightness down to a relatively dim level and then adjust the contrast knob in order to make up the difference. If background lighting is not adequate, an adjustable desk lamp may be of help.

You can also cut down on the amount of monitor-screen glare, which can lead to eyestrain, by making a hood to put over your VDT. You can make such a hood, using heavy black cardboard placed on top of your monitor. Both sides of the cardboard should be folded down over the VDT. Filters are also available to help