What should be considered when working with screens?
January 3, 2022 | 20,00 EUR | answered by Ludwig Born
Dear Doctor,
My name is Otto Wolf and I have been working in an office for many years, where I spend several hours in front of a screen every day. Lately, however, I have been experiencing increasing problems with my eyes, neck, and back. I feel like my eyes are tired and dry, my neck is tense, and I often have back pain. These symptoms have worsened in the past few weeks and I am concerned about my health.
I have already tried to improve my sitting position and take regular breaks, but the symptoms persist. I am wondering if there are specific measures I can take to protect my health while working with screens. Are there specific screen settings I should be aware of? Should I take special breaks or do exercises to relax my muscles?
I would appreciate it if you could give me some advice on how to make my screen work healthier. I would like to alleviate and prevent my symptoms in the long term in order to maintain my ability to work and quality of life.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Kind regards,
Otto Wolf
Dear Mr. Wolf,
Thank you for your message and your trust in my expertise. I am sorry to hear that you have been experiencing increased complaints related to your work at the screen recently. It is important to take these complaints seriously in order to avoid long-term damages.
The symptoms you described, such as dry and tired eyes, neck pain, and back pain, are typical problems that can occur when working at a screen. These complaints can be caused by improper screen settings, an ergonomic workplace design, or prolonged screen work without sufficient breaks.
To protect your health while working with screens, there are some measures you can take. First and foremost, it is important that your screen is properly adjusted. The screen should be at eye level and placed at a distance of about 50-70 cm from your eyes. Make sure the screen is not glaring and that the brightness and contrast are comfortable for your eyes.
It is also advisable to take regular breaks to rest your eyes and prevent tension. The so-called 20-20-20 rule can be helpful: every 20 minutes, look at a point 20 feet away for 20 seconds to relax your eyes. Use these breaks to stretch and mobilize your neck and back as well.
In addition, specific exercises to relax and strengthen the muscles in the neck and back area can help prevent complaints. Yoga, Pilates, or targeted stretching exercises can be helpful. An ergonomic workplace design with a height-adjustable desk, an ergonomic chair, and support for your neck can improve your posture and comfort.
It is important that you take your complaints seriously and take active measures to protect your health while working with screens. If the complaints persist or worsen, I recommend seeing a specialist in occupational medicine for individual advice and treatment.
I hope that my advice helps you and helps alleviate and prevent your complaints. If you have any further questions or need assistance, I am happy to help.
Best regards,
Ludwig Born
