The State : VDTs, Eye Ailments Tied

Workers sitting too close to video display terminals or who keep the screen’s brightness at extreme levels may develop vision problems, according to a report by University of California, Berkeley, scientists. Researchers at the UC School of Optometry and Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory tested 35 VDT workers for their reactions to different colored letters and background lighting, but found nothing that would appear to affect the users’ efficiency. However, users may develop vision problems such as eyestrain or headaches from working at the terminals, partly because they are sitting too close to the screen or have set the screen’s brightness level too high or too low, the report said. Other problems may occur if a user’s eyeglass prescription, especially for bifocals, is not suited for VDT work.