EYE HEALTH AND ERGONOMICS

Optometrist describing eye health:Vision and computers. Dr. Adatia from Calgary is a member of OSI, Canada’s Largest Network of Optometrists. Helpful tips on how to prevent the pains from poor ergonomics with prolonged computer use.

Eye health vision and computers by Dr. Adatia.  The work positioning at the office computer desk is really important,  the position of the chair, the computer monitor, the keyboard and paper work all has to be in position that does not cause unnecessary stress on the computer user.

How to set up a work station for Eye health and ergonomics.

The monitor should be situated about arm length, and the center of the monitor about 30 cm below the horizontal eye level.  Back straight no slouching allowed ( it only gets worse gradually), foot rest can be used for extra support for the legs and the lower back.  With the laptop computers it is very difficult to have at arms length, and to be able to type on the keyboard, that’s where the remote extra keyboard is useful.  It can be plugged in using the USB port, and then you can have the monitor at arms length and able to type on the keyboard at much closer position.  This is what the ergonomics is suggesting.  Office computer that have the monitor and the keyboard as separate units is much more adaptable for user friendly and better ergonomics.

As part of Eye health and ergonomics there should be regular refocus off monitor screen.

Regular stops every 20 minutes at least,  to briefly focus on an object at further distance, this exercises the eye lens muscles.

Eye exercises as part of Eye health and ergonomics.

Also holding the palms of the hands over the eyes (in complete darkness, open the eyes) for 30 secs can help to relax the eyes.  The other exercises that can be done is rotating the eyes in a figure 8 fashion, e.g. on a wall that is about 10 feet away, from the far right top corner to the far left corner, then across down to the bottom right hand corner and accross to the left bottom side corner, then repeat by going to the far top right hand corner and continue in a smooth figure 8 figure.  This exercises the eye movement, do this exercise a few times then reverse the direction of the rotation.  Only need to do maybe 6 each times way, and over time the eye muscles will become more flexible and the number of exercise can be increased gradually.

Always see a optometrist at least once a year, or when a change in the eye vision is noticed.