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14 September 2005 - National Eye Week
Survey Highlights Screen Fatigue
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This week, 12 September to 18 September 2005, is National Eye
Week and a shocking survey, conducted by The Eyecare Trust in conjunction with
Optrex, has revealed that screen fatigue affects 9 out of 10 British computer
users.
The survey found that British people spend 128,780 hours per
lifetime looking at television and computer screens, with 1 in 10 adults
admitting to having never visited an optician, even if suffering from headaches
or eyestrain difficulties.
Some facts arising from the survey, where a poll of 2,750
workers was used, are as follows:
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The average couch potato spends 30.5 hours a week sitting in
front of the TV.
-
Workaholics spend a staggering 35 solid hours a week sitting in
front of their computer screens, with no thought given to adjusting screens,
seats or posture.
-
The above amounts to a total of 53 hours of screen watching per
working week, and 49 hours when on annual leave.
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Assuming the average person works between the ages of 18 and 65
- that makes 2,740 hours (or three and a half months) a year spent in front of a
screen.
Mr. Ian Anderson, Chairman of the Eyecare Trust said:
“As computer use in the workplace and the home continues to
rise so do the number of people complaining of eyestrain. It's vital that
computer users visit their optometrist for regular eye examinations and follow a
healthy eyecare regime.
"Screen Fatigue' - sore, itchy, irritated eyes or temporary
blurring of your vision affects up to 90 per cent of VDU users.”
Some other facts revealed from the survey were as follows:
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63% admitted to regularly leaving the workplace with dreadful
headaches.
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53% suffered from tired or strained eyes.
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A third of those polled said they regularly put up with dry,
irritated and watery eyes.
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One in five admitted to an awareness of imperfections with their
eyesight.
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One in ten said they were sure they needed to wear glasses or
contact lenses, but have not yet been to have their eyes tested.
The Eyecare Trust have provided some quick tips to help minimise
Screen Fatigue as follows:
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Take frequent breaks. Eyes require to rest every 20
minutes or so.
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Customise your screen settings. Ensure your monitor is
33cm-59cm from your eyes and that the centre of your screen is 10cm-15cm below
your natural eye level. Select a font size of 12pts or above and make sure
you have a clean screen.
-
Create an eye-friendly environment. Position copy
documents at roughly the same distance from your eyes as the screen to avoid
having to re-focus, dim the lights (the ratio of ambient light to monitor light
should be three to one) and minimise any glare or reflections.
-
Keep blinking. When concentrating on the screen for
long periods your blink rate slows.
Under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment
Regulations) 1992 as amended in 2002, employees covered by the Regulations can
ask their employer to provide and pay for an eye and eyesight test by a
qualified optometrist or doctor.
They can also request further tests at regular intervals if the
optometrist who performed the first test deems it to be necessary.
Employers only have to pay for spectacles if special ones are
required and normal ones cannot be used.
It should also be noted that Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
Assessments and user training is a legal requirement throughout Europe.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have an excellent leaflet
providing guidance for people who work with VDU's and their employers which can
be accessed in pdf format by clicking the following:
HSE Guidance Leaflet on Working With VDU's
Further information on National Eye Week can be accessed by
clicking the following:
National Eye Week 2005
Article by Alexandra Johnston
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