Headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes and more

Published in Eye fatigue on Wednesday, 26 November 2008
by Catherine Albert  |   Articles RSS

These are just some of the visual symptoms that people can suffer with as a result of prolonged computer use. Having the right environment for the eyes is important if you want to minimise these sorts of problems, and the longer you spend in front of your computer the more important it is to take care of your eyes.

What other problems can you get?

Headaches, a stiff neck, difficulty concentrating might not all sound like visual symptoms but they can all be caused by working in a stressful visual environment. Too much glare can cause you to squint slightly or change your head position so you can see your computer more clearly. It might not appear to be a problem initially but over time it can result in head and neck pain.

What are the main visual problems from working at a computer?

Most visual problems are the result of about 6 factors. This is often caused simply from the way you have set up the computer and they usually fall into one of these categories

• glare on the computer screen
• poor visual correction (out of date eyeglass prescription)
• reading small character sizes on the screen
• poor contrast between text and background on the monitor
• excessive brightness and contrast between the monitor and the general office environment
• noticeable screen flicker
• dry eyes

Making a friendly working environment for your eyes.

Vision Tips

1. Reduce glare form over head lights screen
If you can see your own image in the monitor screen before it is turned on than the lighting is causing reflections. Check if its coming from the windows or lights as it can cause eye strain. Try and reposition the monitor or adjust the tilt until your screen does not show any reflections
Flat screen monitors should not need anti-glare screens

2. Increase the font size

Make the font size 12 point. A good check is find the smallest font you can see and than increase it 2-3x

3. Take regular breaks

Remember the Rule 20:20 - Don’t work longer than 20 minutes without giving your eyes a break. Look at something 20 feet away for 20 secs – Look out of the window, see who is moving around the office, or move away from the desk.

4. Clean your screen regularly

5. Adjust the brightness level of your screen to match your environment. The controls are usually at the bottom or the side of the monitor. Often the contrast and brightness is set from the factory at very high levels.

Adjust the brightness and contrast levels to try and keep light levels as even as possible and avoid large differences between the monitor and the room environment. The easiest colour on the eye is black text on a white background

6. Use window blinds

Windows are a large source of glare. Sit at right angle to a window rather than facing it directly. Minimise the contrast between the outside light levels compared to an office environment by using blinds most of the time.

7. Remember to do the same if you use a laptop.

Position the screen at the correct height. Use a separate keyboard if you are working on a laptop for any length of time. For more facts on laptop use see

8. Have your eyes checked regularly

60% of adults have undetected visual defects which could mean your eyes are working harder than they should be. Have regular eye checks.

9. Bifocals can cause difficulties.

Consider placing your monitor slightly lower if you wear bifocals. Bifocals are designed to view from the lower part of the glasses and if the monitor is quite high than you will tilt your head back to view the screen.

10. Practice a few eye care hints

• Just close your eyes ¬- take a deep breath and relax. Feel less tension in your eyes.
• Teach your eyes flexibility – focus on something far away and then something close, make sure each object is clear. Switch so you focus on each of the objects alternatively as fast as you can.
• Try to blink regularly – blinking rate decreases when focusing on a computer for long periods and can lead to dryness or itching of the eyes. Alternatively use artificial tears or eye drops

WorkFuture Team