Regulatory Compliance
Minimizing Visual Fatigue
Prolonged exposure to a computer screen may cause temporary visual fatigue. This can be caused by various factors, including the working environment, habits, and posture, as well as screen flicker and blue light emissions.
Working Environment
Your surrounding work environment can cause visual fatigue. Reducing glare and ensuring appropriate lighting can reduce the stress on your eyes.
To reduce glare, you can:
- Change the position of any light source that is causing glare.
- Fit light sources with appropriate diffusers or lampshades.
- Use curtains or blinds to minimize glare from direct sunlight.
- Adjust the position of your display to be perpendicular to the source of light or windows.
To ensure appropriate lighting, you should:
- Set the lighting level to between 300 to 500 lux - but no more than 750 lux.
- Positioning workstations away from direct sunlight.
- Avoid working directly under overhead lighting.
Working Habits
To minimize eyestrain, you can adjust your working habits to let your eyes relax and recover. Here are some ways that you can do this:
Break Times - Take some time away from the screen, especially if you are working for long periods of time. Generally, taking short breaks (say for 5–15 mins) after 1–2 hours of continuous computer work is recommended. Shorter, frequent breaks provide more benefit than long breaks.
Looking at Distant Objects - Rest your eyes periodically by focusing on objects that are far away.
Eye and Neck Exercises – Specific exercises can reduce eye strain and prevent musculoskeletal disorders, such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and tendonitis. However, if symptoms persist, you should consult a physician.
Here are some eye exercises:
- Alternate looking up and looking down while keeping your body and head upright.
- Slowly roll your eyes to look to the left and right.
- Roll your eyes to look at objects on the upper right corner and then on the lower right. Do the same thing to look at objects on the upper left and lower left.
For your neck, place your arms by your side and try the following:
- Bend your head forward to stretch your neck slightly. Hold for five seconds.
- Turn your head to the right and hold for five seconds. Then turn to the left and hold for five seconds.
- Tilt your head to the left and hold for five seconds. Then tilt your head to the right and hold for five seconds.
Working Posture
A comfortable seating position and viewing angle are essential to working comfortably.
Seating Position
Your display should not be too far away from you or too close. The recommended viewing distance between the eye and the display screen is 1.5x the diagonal measure of the screen. Meeting this required distance in a cramped office situation can be a challenge. Solutions include making more room for the display, using a flat panel or compact display and placing it in the desk corner, or placing the keyboard in an adjustable drawer to create a deeper working surface.
Lenovo's ThinkCentre AIO systems are designed to optimize work space.
Viewing Angle
Position the display directly in front of your head, neck, and torso. Then face forward to the screen. The display should not be more than 35 degrees to the right or left of your head. Also, do not have your display too high or too low.
Reduce Flicker
Screen flicker refers to repeated changes in display light intensity. It is caused by several factors including voltage fluctuations. Reducing the flicker can minimize eye strain and headaches.
ThinkCentre AIO systems allow users to use high-frequency display modes that can effectively reduce screen flicker.