If you\u2019re working in front of a computer screen all day, here are some ergonomic tips. There are many factors that negatively impact our health and productivity in everyday working life, from poor posture, to noise disturbances. The amount of time we spend sitting in front of a computer screen every day also carries risks as it places high demands on our eyes, potentially causing eyestrain and headaches. Fortunately, there are some ways to minimise the risks caused by extensively working at a computer.<\/p>\n
Avoiding glare<\/strong><\/p>\n When working at a computer screen there is often a risk of glare and reflection. To avoid this,\u00a0the screen\u00a0should be positioned at\u00a0a\u00a0right\u00a0angle\u00a0to\u00a0a\u00a0window\u00a0so that sunlight\u00a0is\u00a0not directly\u00a0cast\u00a0over your\u00a0screen.\u00a0Your monitor should not be placed directly in front of a window either, as the differences in brightness outside and the office environment\u00a0leads to\u00a0eyestrain.\u00a0Remember to also check for potential glare from\u00a0office equipment (e.g.\u00a0cabinet surfaces)\u00a0to ensure\u00a0no-one is\u00a0affected.<\/p>\n Reducing Eyestrain<\/strong><\/p>\n To reduce the likelihood of eyestrain, fatigue and headaches, we recommend that\u00a0screens are set to display\u00a0a legible character size and\u00a0at\u00a0an appropriate resolution. It\u2019s worth investing in a 4K\u00a0monitor as this will\u00a0display text\u00a0and images in a sharp, more optimised format.\u00a0However, it\u2019s worth keeping in mind that even with\u00a0a\u00a0high resolution\u00a0screen,\u00a0the\u00a0character size\u00a0still needs to be\u00a0adapted\u00a0to a suitable size that does not create eyestrain for the user.<\/p>\n The following table lists the recommended character sizes with the corresponding visual distances.<\/p>\n Tab. 1: Visual distances with recommended character size<\/p>\n Although the table suggests that\u00a0the distance between the eyes and the screen (visual distance) should be at least 500mm, the recommended distance is actually\u00a0700mm.<\/p>\n The following table\u00a0contains\u00a0guidelines on\u00a0the appropriate visual distance depending on the screen size.<\/p>\n Tab. 2:\u00a0Screen size with recommended visual distance<\/p>\n Improving posture<\/strong><\/p>\n You can achieve a\u00a0relaxed head\u00a0and neck\u00a0posture can be achieved with\u00a0the help of\u00a0correct\u00a0screen\u00a0position.\u00a0Screens should be\u00a0tilted slightly backwards, so that the head of the\u00a0user\u00a0is slightly lowered and their\u00a0neck muscles are in a relaxed state.\u00a0The height of the screen should be such that the top line of the screen is slightly below the horizontal axis of vision.\u00a0If two\u00a0monitors are required, they should be arranged into a position where the\u00a0focal\u00a0screen is positioned centrally.\u00a0However, if both are needed at the same time, they\u00a0should\u00a0be\u00a0closely\u00a0aligned.<\/p>\n To minimise head and eye movement, we recommend purchasing computer screens that\u00a0have a narrow frame.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0also\u00a0a good idea to\u00a0support the screens using\u00a0monitor arms\u00a0as they allow you to position and\u00a0reposition\u00a0your\u00a0monitors with ease.\u00a0Monitor arms allow\u00a0precise height and tilt settings as well as numerous changes that can be made\u00a0quickly and efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n Vi<\/b>sual distance<\/b>\u00a0(mm)<\/b><\/td>\n C<\/b>haracter\u00a0<\/b>height<\/b>\u00a0<\/b>(mm)<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 500<\/td>\n 3.2 \u2013 4.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 600<\/td>\n 3.9 \u2013 5.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 700<\/td>\n 4.5 \u2013 6.4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 800<\/td>\n 5.2 \u2013 7.3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n \n\n
\n S<\/b>creen\u00a0<\/b>measurement (<\/b>diagonal<\/b>)<\/b><\/td>\n visual distance<\/b>\u00a0(mm)<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n LCD\u00a0(inch)<\/td>\n CRT\u00a0(inch)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 13<\/td>\n 15<\/td>\n 500<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 15<\/td>\n 17<\/td>\n 600<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 17<\/td>\n 19<\/td>\n 700<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 19<\/td>\n 21<\/td>\n 800<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n