Distance from the eyes to the monitor: features, requirements and norms

On average, a modern person spends about 50 hours a week looking at the computer screen. Is this due to the effect of "tired eyes", headaches, blurred vision and difficulty focusing and how should the distance from the eyes to the monitor be so that these problems can be avoided or at least minimized?

Useful recommendations

No matter how comfortable the distance from the eyes to the monitor, if you spend a lot of time at the computer, it is very important to make regular breaks and exercises for visual relaxation. Here are some useful recommendations that will help minimize the negative effects associated with a long stay in front of the working screen.

• Make sure that if you need glasses to look at the screen, you put them on.
• Blink regularly. During focusing, visual reflexes slow down somewhat, you will involuntarily blink less, resulting in dry, irritated and tired eyes.
• Remember the rule 20-20-20: every 20 minutes it takes 20 seconds to look outside the monitor for 20 feet (six meters) ahead. In this short time, the eye muscles will receive the necessary break for them, which will help to increase the speed of blinking.
• Try to keep the distance from the eyes to the monitor in the range from 40 to 76 centimeters. Most people believe that the borders of 50 to 65 centimeters are the most convenient and optimal.
• Make sure that the top of the monitor is at or slightly below your horizontal eye level.
• Tilt the top of the monitor from you at an angle of 10 to 20 degrees. This will create an optimal viewing angle.
• Keep the screen clean from dust and fingerprints.
• Try to place the monitor so that it does not reflect distracting reflections (for example, from a window).
• Use an adjustable chair that allows you to sit at the right angle and make optimal body position and distance from the eyes to the computer monitor.
• Use a suitable character size. This important factor in many ways determines how much distance from the monitor to the eyes should be.

Optimum computer position

How on the eye can you measure the scope of visual comfort? Make sure that the computer monitor is located approximately at arm's length from the normal sitting position. The top toolbar of the screen should be approximately at one horizontal level with the eyes. If it is too low, you may be at risk for developing pain in the neck. If it is too high, it can lead to an additional overstrain of the eye muscles.

The monitor should be tilted vertically to avoid unnecessary glare from the top lighting. The keyboard and mouse should be located directly in front of you on your desktop. If you put them on a corner, you will be at risk of developing one-sided pain in the neck and shoulder. An important role is also played by the distance from the eyes to the computer monitor.

A frightening tendency

The amount of time that we spend looking at the screens has increased dramatically over the past few years. All the fault is a sedentary lifestyle and lack of necessary physical activity. All this affects mental well-being, anxiety disorders increase. What distance from the eyes to the monitor will help to avoid problems and will not be able to negatively affect our vision in the future?

In fact, no one knows for certain whether prolonged use of digital devices causes permanent eye damage. One thing is for sure: an irrationally long time spent at the computer, unambiguously leads to increased eye strain and the associated discomfort, which is also called computer vision syndrome .

Epidemic of myopia

About 7-8 hours a person spends on a full and healthy sleep. Approximately the same time he spends, looking at various monitors: a TV, a computer, a tablet or a smartphone. All this is believed to contribute to an increase in the level of myopia, or myopia. It is obvious that gradually the growth of this ailment acquires the level of the epidemic all over the world.

Discomfort and side effects

There is no doubt that prolonged exposure to the screen causes eye strain. The monitor is an integral part of the workplace for many people, mostly from office workers. When placed in the wrong position, it can cause the operator to work in various uncomfortable poses, which can lead not only to discomfort, but also to potentially dangerous injuries to the musculoskeletal system.

Other side effects of a poorly positioned monitor are eye irritations, blurred vision, dryness, pain in the eyes, and headaches. Common complaints among computer operators are unpleasant sensations in the neck and shoulders. A huge number of such complaints indicate that the position of the monitor, including the distance from the monitor screen to the eyes, is an important factor in the organization of the computer workplace.

Requirements and norms: what can be done to protect themselves

What factors determine the correct position of the computer monitor? First of all, this is the viewing angle and viewing distance. In this regard, there are certain requirements and recommendations. The vertical viewing angle should range from about 15 to 30 degrees. Some people involved in visually difficult tasks can limit downward eye movements and use an angle of up to 60 degrees. When using large monitors (17 ", 19" or more), make sure that the top of the screen is not at a higher level than the user's eyes.

With regard to the distance of the eyes to the monitor, it is worth turning to the natural physical characteristics of vision. Looking at long distances does not cause eye fatigue, in contrast to the muscular effort required to focus on objects located at close distances. The shorter the viewing distance, the greater the muscular effort. The norm, which provides visual comfort for most computer users, is considered to be a range from 40 cm to 70 cm.