Computer workstations - screen position
Where to place the computer monitor?
Guide for the individually comfortable screen position
This guide may help you
- to place the computer screen ergonomically
- to avoid eye strain and musculo-skeletal complaints that may result from an unfavourable viewing distance or height of the monitor.
Some physiological aspects of the eyes differ from one subject to another as does body height. Thus, the ergonomically optimal position of a computer monitor may not be the same for all users.
One may find out his/her individual screen position. The following five-day trial may help you to find out the screen position that is favourable for you:
| ® | Place the screen in a different position on four consecutive days, following the guide, in order to experience the advantages and disadvantages of the different screen positions. |
| ® | We suggest working for a full day with each screen placement, thought it may be unusual at first. |
| ® | Following your experience on these four days, on Day 5 you can place the screen at the position that is most comfortable for you. |
| Guide for the individually comfortable screen position |
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| Day 1: | Screen high and near | |
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Place the monitor at eye level by putting it on a stand. Please look horizontally, but not upwards. Adjust the viewing distance from the eyes to the screen to about 50 cm. |  |
| Day 2: | Screen low and near | |
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Place the monitor as low as possible and maintain the same viewing distance of 50 cm as on Day 1. Tilt the top of the monitor slightly backwards, e. g. by putting a plate under the monitor housing. |  |
| Day 3: | Screen high and distant | |
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Place the monitor at eye level with the stand used on Day 1 and adjust a viewing distance of about 90 cm, e.g. by placing a small table behind your desk. |  |
| Day 4: | Screen low and distant | |
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Place the screen as low as possible and tilt it as on Day 2, however the viewing distance should be about 90 cm as on Day 3. |  |
| Day 5: | Adjustment of preferred screen position | |
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Only on this Day 5 place the screen at a position that is most comfortable for your vision, neck and back. | |
Some hints before your begin:
| ® | Look vertically at the screen surface as if you wanted to see your face in a mirror. To do that, tilt the screen backward. The text characters on the screen should be about 4 mm high. |
| ® | To avoid musculo-skeletal complaints, you should sit as relaxed as possible. Adjust the height of the chair so that your knees and the elbows form right angles. Your feet should rest on the floor or on a foot rest; use the back-rest of the chair to support your back. |
| ® | If you are presbyopic or have near-vision glasses, you may not be able to use all screen positions. Try those screen positions where you have clear vision. |
| ® | Good room lighting is important for comfortable vision. Place the monitor in a way to avoid reflections of luminaires on the screen surface. |
| ® | In order to try out the different screen positions, you probably will have to move the furniture at your workplace. A stand under the monitor or a small table behind your desk may be helpful. Be always sure that the monitor is stable and safe. |
This guide is the result of the following scientific ergonomic research:
Jaschinski, W., Heuer, H. and Kylian, H.:
Preferred position of visual displays relative to the eyes: a field study of visual strain and individual differences. Ergonomics, 41, No. 7, 1034-1049 (1998).
Jaschinski, W., Heuer, H. and Kylian, H.:
A procedure to determine the individually comfortable position of visual displays relative to the eyes. Ergonomics, 42, No. 4, 535-549 (1999).
Wolfgang Jaschinski
Ardeystraße 67
D-44139 Dortmund
Germany
Phone: +49-231-1084-264
Fax: +49-231-1084-401
Email: jaschinski@ifado.de
Internet: www.ifado.de/vision/
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Created 1999 by Wolfgang Jaschinski
Last modified 13.01.2009 by Dietmar Gude |