Beware - the position of your monitor may be harmful to your
health. Sitting all day and staring at a screen is not a natural or
comfortable thing for most people to do, and you must be careful to
avoid health problems this can cause. This article describes the current
recommendations for reducing eye and neck strain by adjusting your
monitor's viewing distance, height, and angle.
The main cause of computer-related eye strain is usually sitting too close to the monitor. Measure the current distance from your eyes to the screen. If your eyes are closer than 20 inches from the screen, you have a much higher chance of developing eye strain over time. Sitting too close to the monitor causes your eye muscles to work harder to focus and converge. OSHA recommends a viewing distance of 20 to 40 inches. Most people will find the higher end of that range difficult to achieve, but if you currently sit only 18 inches away, changing that to even 22 or 24 inches may make a huge difference in your long-term comfort level. Just make sure your font size is set large enough to easily read text at your new viewing distance.
The height of your monitor relative to your eyes is also important. Your gaze should be slightly downward toward the center of the monitor, around a downward angle of 15 to 20 degrees. This can usually be achieved by setting the monitor height so the top of the monitor is near your horizontal eye level. The angle of the screen should be tilted slightly up so the center of the screen points toward your eyes. This slight downward gaze helps reduce eye and neck strain. It is very important to avoid positioning your monitor too high, since craning your neck upward will quickly cause fatigue.
Most people find adjusting the monitor's brightness to match the ambient light level in the room reduces eye strain. An overly bright or dim monitor can be tiring to use. Glare should be minimized by adjusting the lighting or seating position in the room as possible. And using a quality high-resolution monitor can also reduce eye strain since it will produce crisper, easier-to-read text due to higher pixel density.
Finally, taking a break every 20 to 30 minutes to rest your eyes and focus in the distance is a good idea. Standing, stretching, and walking a little will also help reduce fatigue and the risk of blood clots from prolonged sitting. Making a few changes in your monitor position, along with taking the time to rest your eyes and stretch your legs, can result in a significant improvement in your comfort and productivity at work.
The main cause of computer-related eye strain is usually sitting too close to the monitor. Measure the current distance from your eyes to the screen. If your eyes are closer than 20 inches from the screen, you have a much higher chance of developing eye strain over time. Sitting too close to the monitor causes your eye muscles to work harder to focus and converge. OSHA recommends a viewing distance of 20 to 40 inches. Most people will find the higher end of that range difficult to achieve, but if you currently sit only 18 inches away, changing that to even 22 or 24 inches may make a huge difference in your long-term comfort level. Just make sure your font size is set large enough to easily read text at your new viewing distance.
The height of your monitor relative to your eyes is also important. Your gaze should be slightly downward toward the center of the monitor, around a downward angle of 15 to 20 degrees. This can usually be achieved by setting the monitor height so the top of the monitor is near your horizontal eye level. The angle of the screen should be tilted slightly up so the center of the screen points toward your eyes. This slight downward gaze helps reduce eye and neck strain. It is very important to avoid positioning your monitor too high, since craning your neck upward will quickly cause fatigue.
Most people find adjusting the monitor's brightness to match the ambient light level in the room reduces eye strain. An overly bright or dim monitor can be tiring to use. Glare should be minimized by adjusting the lighting or seating position in the room as possible. And using a quality high-resolution monitor can also reduce eye strain since it will produce crisper, easier-to-read text due to higher pixel density.
Finally, taking a break every 20 to 30 minutes to rest your eyes and focus in the distance is a good idea. Standing, stretching, and walking a little will also help reduce fatigue and the risk of blood clots from prolonged sitting. Making a few changes in your monitor position, along with taking the time to rest your eyes and stretch your legs, can result in a significant improvement in your comfort and productivity at work.
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