Eyestrain

Like other parts of the human body, the eye is not designed for prolonged computer use. The prevalence of computers in the workplace, and the increasingly specialized work done on them, means that more and more workers are at their computers for an entire workday with very little opportunity to vary their office tasks or activities.

Eyestrain can be experienced as burning, tightness, sharp pains, dull pains, watering, blurring, double vision, headaches, and other sensations.

Most people do not know that their eyes have to work harder when focusing on objects that are too close, rather than objects that are far away. Also, if work involves looking back and forth between the monitor and a copy stand or another monitor, the repeated refocusing can strain eye muscles and ligaments. As with an MSD injury, frequent breaks and better workstation design are ways in which you can prevent eyestrain injuries. We will cover the steps to ensure that your workstation is set up to minimize eyestrain later in this course.

To learn more about Office Ergonomics visit our Office Ergonomics Online Training web page.