As someone who conducts ergonomic evaluation, I agree vision is often an overlooked component of office ergonomics. Eye strain can lead to headaches, vision problems and eye fatigue. In addition, when a user has problems seeing the monitor comfortably, they may lean forward causing strain to the spine, nerves and muscles of the head, neck and shoulders. There are also unique conditions created by different size monitors. Users today may have a traditional screen size as well as a laptop screen and even a 24" monitor. Each display should be assessed for proper placement, height and distance. Vision is also a large consideration for the recommendations. Users should have their eyes checked once per year and bifocal wearers should consider a pair of lenses designed for computer use.

Lisa Harris, OTR, Austin HealthWorks