Bad Eyes
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It seems that most DBAs that I know are a little bit older and more experienced. It's fairly rare that I see someone really young, right out of college, early 20s, etc., as a DBA. So when I saw this question on Slashdot about computers and vision, it caught my eye. I'm one of those "visually challenged" individuals that asked the question. And I've been working with computers pretty much since 1991 as a career. In middle school I slowly found out that my vision was failing. That was when my career as a baseball catcher ended. With glasses on, I couldn't pull off the mask without pulling the glasses with them and ensuring that I'd catch the ball with my cheek instead of my glove 🙂
I'm not a 15 hour a day computer user, but I am a 7-8 or more user. Fortunately it's not all at one stretch. Usually it's early am, then a break, then most of the day until the kids come home, and then late at night. At least the last few years it's been like that. Before that I was mostly a 7-8 hour stretch person and a little at night.
Through all that, including 5-6 years of working as a bartender in a late night, smoky atmosphere, I've had pretty much the same prescription for about 15 years. I switched to contacts in high school, but since college I've pretty much been the same, blind 20-400 in both eyes. I'm getting an eye exam today, so we'll see if it holds for another year.
I think the person asking the question has other problems, 15 hours a day in front of the computer being the least of them, but it still is worth asking the question. Is a monitor bad for your eyes? Is it any different than staring at anything in a repetitive work environment.
One of the things suggested is a light source behind the monitor. That's an interesting one. Especially for the guys that like to work in the dark. I've had a number of co-workers that insisted on working in the dark. Personally I'm an outside, ambient light guy. I like to sit on my shaded porch and work with the laptop in nice weather.
So do any of you have issues working in front of your monitor? Any suggestions to take better care of your eyes? I'm sure everyone in the community would be interested in this.
Steve Jones
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Yes, I have been having the (slowly) degenerating eyesight, also. I had read an article or suggestion many years ago about taking breaks for the eyes. So I try to make sure every 1-2 hours to get up, walk around the office, make sure I focus my eyes on something further away than 1.5-2 feet.
I had a job once where I was lucky to have an office with a big window overlooking a forested hillside. I made sure I positioned my monitor to the window, so that I could frequently just look to the side of the monitor, and focus my eyes to an object at a distance of 50-100 feet. That really seemed to help my productivity.
Lately, I have been trying to pick up suggestions for "eye exercises". If you are a avid golfer, you may remember Michael Campbell at the US Open last year kept running to the port-a-johns during his round of golf. He wasn't having a bladder problem. He had starting doing eye focusing exercises, and swears it made a big difference during the tournament. Supposedly, he is one using a behavioural optometrist to custom fit an eye exercise program for him to sharpen his vision for reading greens.
Mark -
Put it this way, you have sat for 15 years in front of a cathode ray gun.
When I was at college in the 1980s one of our tasks was to pick an IT issue and prepare a presentation on it. One of the girls chose the affect of CRTs and her presentation came across like a Discovery Channel seconds from disaster programme. It convinced her to ditch a career in IT.
I'm not sure if flat panel monitors have the same affect. In any case it is too late now.
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I am of the opinion that CRT monitors are worse than LCD's.
Couple of years back I worked very long hours and got a form of "arc eyes" (like when you do arc welding without the protective eyewear). Upon a suggestion of a friend I turned the refresh rate of the monitor way up and felt immediate relief - it seems that when the monitor refresh rate is close to that of the electricity the strobe effect is more pronounced and tires your eyes quicker, even though you might not be able to notice the strobe effect.
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I know that when I work for in excess of five hours straight I really begin to suffer for it.
One night I was required to pull an all-nighter as is sometimes the case when deadlines aren't shifted despite project scope creep!... anyway from five hours (continuous) onwards I find my ability to focus gets less and less.
Is it the Monitor's fault? (I do use a CRT style monitor) - I'm not so sure, I can recall pulling all-night studyng sessions in university and suffering the same way if I tried to read for many hours at one stretch.
In an effort to assist myself, I spoke with my optomotrist and he gave me a set of cards.
Each card has a green and red circle on it. (each card the circles get farther away) and a pair of cardboard 3D glasses. The idea is to bring the two circles together. You can make such a system yourself for next to knicks... and the exercises have definately helped me. A little prevention goes a long way.... I exercise my eyes pretty much twice daily.
A tip for new starters.... don't attempt these excercies after your 5 hour long stint when your eyes are already suffering! Try first thing in the morning... between turing on the PC and getting your morning coffee... Excersie first. Then get that "cup of joe". Then start work... ensuring you've given yourself a few minutes between exercising and work. - I "normally follow the same routine around my afternoon coffee "pick-me-up" too.
Gavin Baumanis
Smith and Wesson. The original point and click device.
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After plenty of years of development work i started noticing that a difficult day would result in a feeling of tiredness of the eyes. I'd heard that Trinitron monitors were about the best so tried getting an NEC Diamondtron version of the technology. It cost €300, but think it is worth the money in that a bad day now only results in a stressed brain, not stressed eyes too.
I've not tried flat panel screens to see how they compare after a day of coding under adverse circumstances.
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In Ireland (and I think the EU), if you are obliged to use a monitor for work, then your employer is obliged to contribute to an regular (bi-annual I think) eye-check. The obligation doesn't goes as far as paying for treatment but it is a step in the direction of caring for the employee.
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I have also had problems with my eyes burning. Many years ago I went to an optometrist and he said that I had no problems with my eyes. He then gave me glasses that did not improve my eyesight but it has anti-UV protection. I still have the glasses today and cannot work without them. I keep the glasses next to my PC at work. If I need to work for a few hours at home I do not have them with me and my eyes burn like hell. So anti-uv protection is the answer for me.
Andy. -
I'm very happy with LCD panel - at work I have CRT monitor and at home LCD - and I can feel the difference. Even after quite long sessions in front of LCD I don't feel any special strain on my eyes, which is not always true about the old type monitors. Of course I try to make a short break here and there - at least 5-10 minutes every hour I'm not looking into the screen (and, if possible, focusing on some distant objects). So far, it works and I have no serious problems.
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Years ago, I worked for a group of Opticians, so got all my eyetests/glasses/shades etc free. I still get free annual eyetest paid for by my current employer. My eyesite is quite good, but my optician recommended wearing glasses with some coating on the lenses to filter the harmful AV as I work infront of a monitor for 7-8 hrs a day (I think they are Carl Zeiss lenses). But more importantly he recommended taking regular breaks from the PC. (Common sense really!)
Let's face it, most people look after their car better than their eyes which is funny really cause you can always buy another car where you only get 2 eyes!
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It is nice to read all the suggestions about "Bad Eyes". Some of my own experience: As a developer, I work about 12 hours a day behind my monitor. I always have excellent monitors (e.g. my Eizo T766 (a CRT), flat screen, vertical frequency 120 Hz). My monitor position does not give me interference with external light sources.
During daylight I can look far away, and I enjoy it. I am getting older as well (almost 56 years), and a few months ago I bought "computer glasses": glasses optimized for the monitor distance (about 60 cm, where reading glasses target on 30-40 cm).
In this way I feel pretty comfortable behind my monitor. I feel strain, but I do not think that is due to monitor conditions. Still, the best suggestion has been given already by others: leave your monitor (and your work) frequently and do something different.
I hope it helps, Leendert.
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In one shape or form I have been in front of a CRT/Monitor since 1985. My eye sight has gone down hill ever sense. About 3 years ago I started getting headaches about 1 hour after I got to work and this started happening every day. I went to see the eye doctor and my nearsight and farsight are bad. I got glasses and man can I ever see better ! My headaches almost went away after my eye adjusted to the glasses. You don't realize how bad your eyesight gets as this is a slow process. Like others have said, I now get up about every hour or two and walk around and have my eyes focus on things far away. I typically will take a 10 minute walk around the building which is good for the eyes and has a little bit of physical exercise in it as well.
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I have been an 8 hours a day looking at a computer screen pretty much since graduating from university about 6 years ago, I am lucky as I have never had any issues with my eyes (touch wood), and I am fine at the moment, I have not had an eye test for quite a while now but I feel there is no need, no headaches, no blurred vision, not eye strain, and no soreness unless the air is particulary dry.
I do think some of us a lucky in the that department, I suppose it is like anything else in the human body, hearing, fitness etc.
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Aside from the issues that CRTs may be for us, I took no chances with my kids (who are spoiled and have been using "kiddie software" on the PC since they were about three-and-a-half), so I shelled out the extra cash for a flat panel for them. It's impossible to tell a toddler not to get too close to the screen. Meanwhile, I suffered thru with a CRT (with the refresh cranked to about 85 hertz). Recently I've switched to flat panels and can tell the difference. I'd have to say the unless you are a hard-core gamer, you're better off with a flat panel, your eyes will thank you.
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To build a little on Leendert's posting...
If you’re near sighted and need bifocals, I suggest you get computer glasses. That is, high quality glasses that have a prescription that fits the ergonomics of your work station. No bifocals, just a single prescription in the whole lense.
My current computer glasses cost 650.00 so I believe there is a difference in quality if you’re dealing with a good doctor who knows the difference and prescribes accordingly.
Also, if your vision is corrected to less than 20-20, take the time and money to try several doctors. I've been wearing glasses since the 2nd grade and I turned 60 last week. My current doctor has the same problem I have (20-600), but his prescription is more that twice mine (20-1300). He knows how to prescribe for near sighted patients!
To recap, buy high quality coated lenses with very comfortable frames. Find a doctor that really knows how to prescribe for your eye condition. When you find the right one, take his advice and keep returning to him for checkups to catch any eye problems early.
Trust me, the doctor you saw last week for the first time in the mall has no clue beyond what showed up on the basic exam... It takes several years of tests and visits to establish a base line for the patient!
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