Eye Strain Complaints Indicate Workplace Dissatisfaction

March 14, 2001
One in three complaints of eye strain, attributed to computer\r\nmonitors, is really about employee dissatisfaction with working\r\nconditions, suggests research.

One in three complaints of eye strain, attributed to computer monitors, is really about employee dissatisfaction with working conditions, suggests research in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

More than 200 banking employees completed three questionnaires on job stress, environmental working conditions and levels of eye strain as a result of working with computers. Their average age was 38; 33 of them were women.

All the employees shared the same environment and work duties, and none had any history of eye problems.

Eye strain included itchy, sore, or heavy eyes and blurred or double vision during or immediately after work three or more times a week.

Job stress strongly predicted eye strain, accounting for almost a third of the complaints.

Job stress included lack of social support, group conflict, low self esteem, low levels of work satisfaction and underuse of skills.

But where employees did feel supported, they were a third less likely to report eye strain, according to the research.

Lighting did not seem to affect levels of eye strain, but noise and environmental tobacco smoke did.

The authors concluded that a proportion of eye strain complaints are psychological in origin, and are an expression of workplace stress rather than having any true organic cause. They suggested that stimulating an emotionally supportive environment could alleviate the effects of stress.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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