Posted By Ian Dakin A number of associates in a call centre where I work have been told by their optician that when using bifocal or varifocal glasses they should lower the height of their screen to enable them to see through the correct part of their glasses. My concern with this is that they will no longer have the screen at the recomended height (HSE guidance) increasing the risk that they will experience neck and back problems from the change in posture caused by looking down at the screen. Has anyone come up with an solution to this problem? Are a pair of VDU glasses specifically for this purpose the only answer? Thanks Ian

Posted By Bill Elliott It seems to me that the individuals are being urged to make their everyday spectacles cover the very different focal length required for DSE work. I have bifocals and if I were to adjust the height of my screen to suit - it would be where my keyboard is currently - that can't be right. I can just about accept that in some individuals, the minor adjustment necessary would be OK but this is not the answer for every situation. As far as varifocals are concerned, would it not depend entirely on the number of graduations between long focal length (for distance) and the near focal length (for close work) and at what point in the graduations the mid distance lens (most likely for DSE work) was situated. I was of the opinon that DSE spectacles were required for that very specific focal length that ensured good vision without having to make unecessary adjustments to your workstation that could potentially cause musculo skeletal problems long term. I would be interested in others views.

Posted By Stuart McPhaden I was discussing this the other day (my wife is also an optician). My understanding is that if your eye and eyesight test (undertaken by an optician) shows that your prescription glasses are not suitable then your employer has a responsibility to provide, free of charge, glasses for the purpose of vdu use or make a contribution towards changing your existing glasses to suit vdu use.

Posted By Ron Hunter I feel there is some misconception regarding this 'recommended' or 'standard' screen height. The screen, and all other elements of the workstation, should be positioned to suit the user, not to conform with some prescribed "ideal" layout. For those like me with appalling typing skills, it makes no sense to be continually making exaggerated head or eye movements between the keyboard and a raised screen. In this instance, the screen should be lowered.

Posted By Chris Packham From a purely personal point of view: I am very short sighted and have a considerable difference between my distance and near vision, such that, for example, contact lenses are totally impracticable for me. For many years now I have worn varifocal spectacles. Initially I did have a problem with computer screens. However, this was in the early days when the transition between distance and near vision was relatively abrupt. There was only a small band in the lense which gave me a clear view of the screen and necessitated moving my head up and down. I did, in the early days, try separate spectacles for the computer, but found problems with these as I needed also to refer from time to time to printed material on my desk adjacent to the keyboard. The spectacles for the computer did not give me a clear view of this material. At the time I even considered a bifocal, i.e. focal length for the screen and separately for reading. Fortunately, my optician took a different view and suggested a more advanced type of lense with more gradual transition. With the development of a more gradual transition I now work for long periods at a computer and have not found any problems with my varifocus spectacles. I can see the screen, others around me and read the work on my desk, all with the one pair and without any problems. One other point is that the work is made much easier by the use of a modern, TFT screen. I find that when working with the older, CRT screen, long periods result in eye strain which the modern screen does not produce. Chris

Posted By Chris Packham In Germany a while ago I used a computer where the screen was actually at an angle underneath the desk, which had a glass top. I actually found this quite easy and comfortable to use, particularly since the effect was that when referring to a document on the desk the printed matter and screen appeared to be in the same plane. Chris

Posted By Peter Longworth We have come across this on a number of occasions and have decided that the simplest solution is to provide a pair of spectacles for DSE use only. This not only fulfills our statutory obligations but also avoids other problems described. There is no point in providing varifocals or bifocals then asking DSE users to adopt awkward postures to compensate for them. While our employees are using DSE they will use the spectacles provided, which are perfectly adequate for the task, and while they are doing other tasks they use their own prescription spectacles.

Posted By Tony Brunskill Peter, I think the problem occurs where the user requires more than one focal length to use the DSE. I have varifocal lenses which I have just started using. I discussed my poor typing skills, need to read documents and then make inputs with the optician during the test. She made the necessary prescription. HOWEVER, I then chose the lenses and frames and was not advised about the impact this would have. The lenses I chose were small which means that the areas of the lens dealing with each focal length are small and I now appear to watch tele through the top of my head and read through my nose. I probably just need to get used to them. Tony

Posted By Peter Leese Hi Kiernan I was very interested in your earlier answer which I have pasted below. "As the 'competent' safety professional, you face the task of introducing ergonomic understanding to control the risks of injury. So, on the basis of the information so far, the two elements you appear to be avoiding are a. providing adequate training designed to enable each employee to make adjustments suitable to his/her tasks, anatomy, furniture and equipment; b. monitoring the safety levels by collecting data regularly from each user and showing them how to make adjustments as need be." I noticed Is Kismet asked how you would go about the second part (b), would you mind if I asked the same question? What sort of data should be collected and how is it referenced to safety levels? Peter

Posted By Peter Leese Last message refers - does anybody have any suggestions?