Computer work and eyecare

Protecting your eyes at computers

Working for long periods on a computer can cause eye strain, leading to painful dry eyes and potential damage.

Following are some tips to help minimise monitor screen fatigue:

  • take a break approximately every 20 minutes
  • blink regularly (this tends to slow down when users focus on the screen for long periods)
  • position documents at roughly the same distance from the eyes as the screen, thus avoid having to refocus when shifting view
  • customise screen settings by making sure that the monitor is between 32-60 centimetres from the eyes and that the centre of the screen is 10-15 centimetres below the user's natural eye level
  • ensure that the screen is clean; use a font size of 12pt or above
  • minimise glare; dim the lights slightly.

So, if you've been reading New2Teaching for 20 minutes... go and make a cup of tea!

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Take a break approximately every 20 minutes; blink regularly.
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Help and support

For further advice on this issue, ATL members can speak to their school rep, their branch secretary or their regional official. They can also call the London (020 7930 6441), Cardiff (029 2046 5000), Belfast (028 9078 2020) or Edinburgh (0131 272 2748) offices or email info@atl.org.uk

For out of hours enquiries, call the out of office hours helpline on 020 7782 1612 (Monday-Friday, 5-8pm during term time).

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