HOW TO SETUP YOUR WORKSPACE FOR EYE COMFORT
In this blog is to optimize inventions - in this case your eyeglasses and its comfortability at the workplace or workstation.
The design and arrangement of items, products, and systems so that they fit their use by people - optimizing efficiency, comfort, and utmost safety is termed Human Factors Engineering or ERGONOMICS. This science aims to enhance human performance and well-being by considering factors like posture, movement, and physical interaction with these inventions hence the type of ergonomics called PHYSICAL ERGONOMICS (interaction between humans, spectacle usage and his office desk).
Unique or digital devices refers to the aid needed to provide comfortable vision to its wearer or user, which could vary from lens material or types like CR39, photochromic lenses, high index material of 1.67 or 1.74, bifocal, polycarbonate or trivex, progressive lenses, anti-reflective (green or blue hue), mirror lenses, drive wear lenses etc. This description and decision reached by the clinician (optometrist) and the optician through the science and art of refraction, frame selection and lens type define optical ergonomics.
Adjusting one's digital device to optimally function at his/her workstation, there has to be a merger or fusion of both optical and physical ergonomics.
CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS
The following illustration shall best explain the place of ergonomics in mitigating workstation issues.
- REFRACTIVE ERROR
Refers to the short fall experienced by individual in how they are things, in the form of either myopia, hyperopia or a combination of both to which specific lens type, material or combination as discussed in digital devices could be used to resolve the short fall.
Complaints tied around inability to see things clearly either at far (conference/board room) or near (laptop or PC) within the office is comfortably taken care of with the use of spectacles.
- LENS TYPE, MATERIAL AND INDEX
Lens type refers to the design in relation to its function and relatively it's usage. For example.
SINGLE VISION LENSES
Children, Younger Adults or reading prescription are usually issued on this type of lens for either far or near but never both.
BIFOCAL (D-Top, Round Top, Invisible, Digressive etc)
This single lens type is designed to compensate for far and near field of view which is usually offered to presbyopes (persons aged pre 40s and above).
VARIFOCAL (PROGRESSIVE) LENSES
This single lens type is designed to capture three field of view namely far, intermediate and near. Like bifocals, the varifocal lens type is for presbyopes too.
The above lens types are technological advancement borne on the need to solve vision challenges at different distances yet maintaining comfortable vision. Hence in recent times, instead of having two pairs of single vision for reading and seeing at distance, the bifocal technology was developed and as the computerization of office emerged, the bifocals evolved to current progressive lenses.
Lens materials help to refine the individuals need and solve presenting complaint such photosensitive patients would require photochromic, transition, polaroid, anti-glare or reflective, mirror coatings etc depending on the intensity of the light source.
Another factor to consider for lenses would be the index, this refers to properties that makes the lens light weight mostly recommended for high prescription or toughness based on the user (pediatric patients, sportswear etc) or the type of frame (rimless).
- FRAMES
Frames refers to the eyeware that carries the lenses. Frames can either be plastic or metal and could be sub divided into rimmed, half rimmed or rimless as listed below.
The parameters of a frame - frame boxing, would define the lens type and the potential to use of both frame and lenses effectively.
Small frames are best for single vision and high minus lenses while large frames are better for bifocals and varifocals. Bigger frames allow for wider field of view
These factors when combined effectively will deliver comfortable vision at any distance in workplace and at the desk.
Apart from the above digital device features and factors, the office fittings - chairs, tables, lighting etc are factors that could influence eye comfort positively if optimized or negatively when undermined.
After the issuance of spectacles, the patient needs to adopt, modify and adapt to a lifestyle of using this new aid. while adjustable chairs and tables - furniture with lever, to move either up or down as well as standard illumination of office space are advised to avoid fatigue due to neck ache or strain and eye strain respectively.
The figures below show the amount illumination for different office space and recommended chairs and table.
At SpecSmart eye clinic, we consider occupational optometry a pivot to productivity at the workplace as we effectively harmonize the human factors or ergonomics to the individual's digital device