Advice pls! Monitor, lighting + eyes
Advice pls! Monitor, lighting + eyes
Author
Discussion

JMGS4

Original Poster:

8,850 posts

287 months

Monday 12th January 2004
quotequote all
Have been having eyestrain(? goes all fuzzy and out of focus, the eyes that is not the screen) problems recently with my eyes. I'm pretty short sighted and recently have had to use varifocals.
I'm using a flat screen monitor from Belnea, which is at eye-level, I have daylight neon lighting in the office from a position just above my head, and two windows (useless at the mo as it's dark and dingy out) behind me.
Has anyone any recommendations as to what the best positions for lighting etc when working on a computer, that may perhaps reduce my eyestrain? Any good info to look up?
Thanks friends, John

tvradict

3,829 posts

291 months

Monday 12th January 2004
quotequote all
I have never had windows pointing directly onto a monitor, and always have any lights offset so they don't hit the monitor nor my eyes.

one thing you might what to try is adjusting the contrast and brightness of your monitor and investing in a filter which fits over the top. I used one on saturday and I think they are brilliant.

squirrelz

1,186 posts

288 months

Monday 12th January 2004
quotequote all
Have you made sure the refresh rate is set as high as possible?
I used to be able to see flicker as high as 85Hz, and had to set monitors to 100Hz to get a stable image. Nowadays 85Hz is fine, but 75Hz is still a little flickery.
Editted to say - ignore this if the monitor is LCD, rather than a flat screen CRT.

>> Edited by squirrelz on Monday 12th January 14:22

stevieb

5,252 posts

284 months

Monday 12th January 2004
quotequote all
Some advice i head when i was getting headache and eyhestrain was to make sure that the lighting level from behind (background lighting) the monitor was brighter than the monitor itself. as this was lead headaches but if you have windows near your screen some advice would be to get the company to supply you with a screen filter which will stop the glare from the screen. and will stop you squinting when the sun catchs the screen

Steve

simpo two

89,683 posts

282 months

Monday 12th January 2004
quotequote all
We tend to choose TFT monitors with the highest brightness and contrast, but quite honestly it can be like looking into the sun. I have a Sony S71 17" which is wonderful, but only after I set B and C to 60% and the backlight to just 20%!

I'd also try to avoid neon lights where possible, horrible things.

ATG

22,413 posts

289 months

Monday 12th January 2004
quotequote all
I'd vouch for having background illumination quite high (i.e. your field of view to either side and above the monitor). I guess this is becoz of the following:
I have a slight astigma... err... problem focussing my eyes. If the background light is kept fairly bright your pupil won't dilate. This improves the focus of your eye (though it also limits the theoretical max resolving power, but that isn't an issue).

I certainly find LCD monitors much easier to look at than CRTs.

ErnestM

11,621 posts

284 months

Monday 12th January 2004
quotequote all
John...

TFT is certainly the way forward. My wife actually prefers here laptop to her PC because it's "easier on the eyes"...

...I prefer TFT's just because they put out less heat and take up less space...

ErnestM

By the way - two brands highly recommended = Viewsonic and NEC/Mitsu. Both have analogue and DVI ports.

>> Edited by ErnestM on Monday 12th January 18:53

voyds9

8,490 posts

300 months

Monday 12th January 2004
quotequote all
Drop the screen below eye level, varifocal intermediate is below horizontal.

simpo two

89,683 posts

282 months

Monday 12th January 2004
quotequote all
ATG said:
I'd vouch for having background illumination quite high (i.e. your field of view to either side and above the monitor).

Me too - I currently have (at 9pm) an anglepoise lamp shining on the wall behind my monitor. It reduces the contrast between screen and surround.

If I turn the light off, the screen suddenly seems to get brighter in comparison - and harsh to look at. During the day it doesn't matter of course.

cmt

14 posts

262 months

Tuesday 13th January 2004
quotequote all
How about something like this?? I noticed it this morning whilst looking at something else.

www.thinkgeek.com/computing/accessories/3903/

simpo two

89,683 posts

282 months

Tuesday 13th January 2004
quotequote all
cmt said:
How about something like this?? I noticed it this morning whilst looking at something else.

www.thinkgeek.com/computing/accessories/3903/


But 110V only.

cmt

14 posts

262 months

Tuesday 13th January 2004
quotequote all
simpo two said:

cmt said:
How about something like this?? I noticed it this morning whilst looking at something else.

<a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/accessories/3903/">www.thinkgeek.com/computing/accessories/3903/</a>

Innovations used to sell a 230V version in the UK, it must be available somwhere still? If not, Maplin do all sorts of voltage converters.


But 110V only.

jam1et

1,536 posts

269 months

Wednesday 14th January 2004
quotequote all
Have you had your eyes re-tested recently? If you use PC's regularly at work then your company should pay for an eye test.

>> Edited by jam1et on Wednesday 14th January 11:58