Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!shadooby!accuvax.nwu.edu!tank!ncar!husc6!rice!sun-spots-request
From: bnr-fos!tpc@watmath.waterloo.edu (Tom Chmara)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.sun
Subject: Re: Severe Eyestrain--SUN Workstation problem
Keywords: Miscellaneous
Message-ID: <447@bnr-fos.UUCP>
Date: 6 May 89 05:54:03 GMT
References: <8904052057.AA02060@marconi.sw.mcc.com>
Sender: usenet@rice.edu
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada
Lines: 30
Approved: Sun-Spots@rice.edu
Original-Date: 28 Apr 89 16:55:04 GMT
X-Sun-Spots-Digest: Volume 7, Issue 270, message 5 of 19

In article <8904052057.AA02060@marconi.sw.mcc.com> knutson%sw.MCC.COM@mcc.com (Jim Knutson) writes:
>X-Sun-Spots-Digest: Volume 7, Issue 241, message 4 of 15
>
>>*	place your monitor and keyboard so that your gaze can easily rest
>>	(and shift focus depth) by shifting to an outside view.
>
>I don't agree with this at all.  Ergonomics suggests that everything we
>might look at should be at the same focal distance to reduce eye strain.
>
>What you really want is to have the monitors, work surface (all those
>listings), keyboard and mouse all the same distance from your eyes.

My opthalmologist spent some time talking at a "lunchtime learning"
seminar about exactly this subject.  The net product of this endeavour
will be to gain for yourself a case of "accountant's eyes".  This is what
is now known as "loss of accomodation".  In other words, you DIMINISH your
ability to "accomodate" changes in focal distances.  His recommendation
was that workers at VDT devices look into the distance every once in a
while (something at a significantly different focal distance from the
tube).  This would reduce the impact of your VDT use as far as
accomodation goes.  What you're setting yourself up for is a tremendous
dose of trouble.


	---tpc---

I am sole owner of the above opinions. Licensing inquiries welcome.

Tom Chmara			UUCP:  ..utgpu!bnr-vpa!bnr-fos!tpc
BNR Ltd.  			BITNET: TPC@BNR.CA