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Computer and Health Health & Safety Because there are so many children of varying ages and sizes in a before and after school care program, it is essential to pay attention to health and safety issues. Children need to be taught simple safety principles from the time they begin using computers. Don't overlook the obvious when children use computers. Don't sit too close to the monitor Take frequent rest breaks and "eye breaks" Stand up, stretch and wiggle often Blink frequently Avoid using the mouse for long periods of time For children as well as adults, bad posture can cause sore wrists, eye fatigue, headaches, neck strain and even back pain. Since kids may be using computers both at home and at school, there is the potential for problems to develop over time. To prevent eye problems, avoid flickering lights or glare on the screen, and look away from the monitor frequently. (This is true for video games also.) Get up and walk around (moving around rests both the eyes and the body), focus on a distant object, remember not to stare at the screen, and blink often. Furniture that is used should be safe and adjustable so it fits each child. If you can't find sturdy, adjustable furniture, have some available that fits the different sizes of the children using it. Because many sizes and shapes of children will probably be using a computer area that has been set up for one "size" of students, careful monitoring of the physical set up should occur when each new student sits down. Make the appropriate adjustments for each child according to the guidelines listed below. Ergonomic Guidelines Viewing Distance:The monitor should be at least 2 to 2 1/2 feet from the child's eyes. To encourage children to maintain the proper distance make the screen easy to see and read at that distance. A larger size font or print on the computer screen, such as 14 or 16, may be helpful. The print can also be adjusted for boldness, color, and line spacing to make it easy to read. The top of the monitor should be at forehead height so that the child looks slightly down. The child should not have to lean back or forward to see the work on the screen. Time at Computer: Children should not be encouraged to spend lots of sedentary time at a computer. They should be encouraged to use their physical energy. Little kids wiggle-so let them wiggle, stand up, sit on their knees, or change positions while working at the computer. If they continue to move around during their computer time, they will be healthier and have fewer injuries. Seat Height and Posture: The child should sit high enough so that his or her arms bend at 90? angles when typing or using the mouse. If the height of the chair is not adjustable, use cushions, foam rubber, or even a phone book on the seat to raise the child up high enough. If the child wants to stand or sit in a more comfortable position, that is all right-sitting up straight may not be the most comfortable posture for the human body. The correct posture for working at a computer is one that provides comfort and circulation to the back, arms, legs, and neck. Footrest: If the child sits in a chair and his or her feet do not touch the floor, use a footstool or footrest to prevent feet from dangling and cutting off the circulation in the legs. Use cushions, phone books, or boxes if a footrest is not available. Mouse, Touch Pads and Rollerballs: Most computer mice are built to fit adult hands, not child-sized hands. Try to find a mouse that fits small hands, and place it within easy reach of the child. Most children do not have highly developed motor skills for using a mouse. Touch pads and rollerballs are great options for kids because they are easier to manipulate than a mouse. Keyboards: Child-sized or notebook keyboards are best for young children because the keys are small and close together. The keys should need only light pressure so that keyboarding does not tire their hands and so that children don't pick up the bad habit of pounding keys to get them to work. For additional information and examples on Computer Ergonomics for Elementary School visit the Oregon Public Education Network Web site. Internet Safety Concerns Adult supervision and guidance are the best safety measures for young children. Place computers in common areas where they are easily visible, and monitor children's time on the computer. Any use of the Internet should be with adult guidance. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers additional information on the Internet and your family. Health & Safety issues It is important to realise that working with computers, particularly for long periods of time, can be dangerous to your health. To create a safe working environment, the following factors should be considered. Specific Risks: Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) - This is caused by repetitive finger movements over long periods of time and can cause serious pain in the finger joints. Solutions - to reduce the risk of RSI you should: have your keyboard positioned correctly use a keyboard with a good ergonomic design develop a good typing technique try using wrist supports placed in front of the keyboard take regular breaks from using the keyboard Special, ergonomically-designed keyboards where the keys are split and contoured for the hands, can be purchased. Eye Strain - Eye strain is quite common among people using monitors over extended periods of time. It can result in irritated eyes and blurred vision. Solutions - to reduce eye strain, users should look away from the monitor and focus on a distant object from time to time to relax their eye muscles. A screen glare deflector can help some users. All new monitors must comply with EU standards which ensure that radiation emission is as low as possible and all new screens must be fitted with tilt and swivel stands. Room lighting can have a major effect on eye strain. Windows should be fitted with non-reflective blinds, preferably beige in colour. Computers should be positioned so that sunlight from the window does not reflect on the screen. The optimum position is at right angles to the source of natural light. Worktops should have a matt surface in order to reduce glare. Back problems - Sitting at the computer for long periods of time is never comfortable. Leaning back in the chair reduces the pressure on the spine but then the arms have to reach forward to the keyboard creating muscle tension which leads to aches and pains in the neck, shoulders, back and arms. Solutions - while working at the keyboard, the correct seating position is sitting upright with the feet flat and the lower arms and thighs in a roughly horizontal position. Adjustable chairs that give the maximum support for the back are also best. Sufficient room is needed for the monitor to be moved back and forward. Ideally, the top of the monitor should be at eye level. Worktops should have a fixed height between 660-730mm is required (720mm is recommended). A worktop depth of 760-840 mm is required to give the user sufficient distance from the screen while working. Even with a comfortable working environment, it is still good to stand up, stretch and move. Power supply: Computers are generally connected to 240v mains electricity and must be treated with care. The computer should be properly earthed and the plugs should have the correct fuses Trailing electrical leads should be avoided to reduce the risk of tripping or them being damaged. Leads should preferably be in trunking or be safely tied out of the way There should be enough power sockets to avoid power sockets being overloaded Mains plugs and leads must be checked for safety once a year If the computer is moved or opened, the power cable must disconnected Fire risks: In case of a fire, the fire extinguishers should be powder-based or CO2 (carbon dioxide) devices. Water-based fire extinguishers should not be used on electrical appliances. Food and Drink: It is best to avoid eating and drinking near to computer equipment. Food crumbs can prevent a computer mouse or keyboard from working properly. Any spilt liquids are a possible fire risk near electrical equipment and can easily ruin items such as floppy disks. FAQs on Myopia Q. What is myopia? A. Myopia is commonly known as "short-sightedness". A person with myopia is able to see close objects clearly but objects that are further away will appear blurred. When the normal eye looks at an object, light rays from the object enter our eye. These light rays are bent at the cornea and the eye lens before forming an image on the inner layer of the eye called the retina. This image is then transmitted by nerve signals to the brain. The brain interprets these signals so that we see the object. If the light rays are focused directly on the retina, we see a sharp image. Myopia occurs when the light rays from distant objects are focused in front of the retina instead of on it, resulting in blurred images on the retina. This is usually because the eyeball is too long or sometimes the cornea and lens do not bend the light rays properly. Q. What are the complications of myopia? A. Undetected myopia before the age of 6 years old can lead to amblyopia (lazy eye) and eventually blindness in the affected eye. Severe myopia can lead to potentially blinding conditions such as _ retinal detachment (a condition when the retina separates from the eyeball) macular degeneration ( a condition when the most sensitive part of the retina degenerates and the central part of the vision is affected) glaucoma ( a condition where there is too much fluid pressure in the eyeball) cataract ( a condition where the eye lens become opaque) The more severe the degree of myopia, the higher the risks of developing these complications. Q. What are the causes for myopia? A. The causal factors in the development of myopia are not clearly known. Research studies have shown that both genetic and environmental factors may contribute to myopia. Recent studies have shown that an important environmental factor is near work. Q. Who are more likely to develop myopia? A. A child is more likely to develop myopia if he/she has one or both parents who suffer from myopia themselves and is constantly involved in near work such as reading, writing and computer work, for long duration without a break. Q. Can myopia be cured? A. Currently there is no approved medication for myopia treatment. Spectacles or contact lenses are used by people who have myopia to help them see distant objects clearly. Surgical methods to correct myopia are not advisable for children as their eyeballs are still growing and the myopia has not stabilised yet. Q. Can myopia be prevented? A. Doctors and researchers have not discovered how to completely prevent myopia. However, near work appears to be an important environmental factor in the development of myopia. Doctors and researchers believe that it is important to limit the duration of continuous near work. When doing near work, children should be encouraged to take regular vision breaks. Q. What is near work? A. This term is used to describe visual activities performed at close distance, say within an arm's length, or when a person looks at or needs to focus on fine details of an object. Examples of near work are reading, writing, using the computer, drawing/painting, sewing, doing craft work with small objects and playing hand-held computer games. Q. How does one take regular vision breaks? A. After 30 to 40 minutes of continuous near work, one should take a vision break of 3 to 5 minutes by looking at distant objects or out of a window. In an enclosed room, one can look across the room. Q. Does myopia affect grown-ups? A. Myopia can affect any individual at any age. However, the severity is closely related to the age of onset. That is, if an individual who has myopia at a young age, there is a greater likelihood that the myopia will be more severe as he grows older. Q. Is it necessary for me to wear glasses if I am slightly myopic? A. One should still wear corrective lens as they can help prevent one from squinting and overstraining the eyes for a clearer vision. With the help of glasses, light rays can fall properly on the retina to form a clearer image. Q. Will full time wearing of glasses worsen my myopic condition? A. There is no evidence of the effects of spectacle wear on myopia (i.e. full-time wear, part-time wear such as only when looking at a distance, or no wear). However, children younger than 8 years old who have myopia should wear spectacles at all times to prevent a lazy eye. Q. Can wearing of under-corrected or over-corrected spectacles reduce myopia progression? A. Some eye-care practitioners prescribe under-corrected spectacles as they believe that this will help reduce myopia progression. However, there is no research evidence that wearing of under or over-corrected spectacles reduces myopia progression. Q. Can wearing of contact lenses help in reducing myopia progression? A. Contact lenses have the same function as a pair of spectacles. The pair of contact lenses helps to refract the light rays to form a clearer image on the retina. Although there have been studies on the use of contact lenses in controlling myopia progression, there is currently no conclusive evidence that wearing of contact lenses can reduce myopia progression. Q. Does the colour green have a soothing effect on the eyes? A. There is no evidence that the colour green produces a soothing effect on the eyes or helps prevent myopia. However, to relax the eyes, one should take vision breaks of 3 to 5 minutes after every 30 to 40 minutes of near work and also to look at some distant objects to relax the eyes. Q. Does surgical treatment work for myopia? A. Myopia cannot be cured but laser treatment can reduce the severity of myopia. However, such treatment is not suitable for children and young teenagers in whom myopia is still progressing and has not stabilised yet. Q. If myopia is partly hereditary, does it still help to practise good eye care habits? A. As the current research evidence shows that an important environmental factor is near work, it is important for the children to take vision breaks to limit the duration of continuous near work and to practise good eye care habits. This may help to delay the early onset of myopia in young children. The severity of myopia is closely related to the age of onset. That is, if an individual who has myopia at a young age, there is a greater likelihood that the myopia will be more severe as he or she grows older. Q. Can watching television for long periods cause myopia? A. It has not been proven yet that television watching has an effect on myopia. However, it is important to advise children to watch television from a distance of at least two to three metres. Q. Is it important to ensure that there is adequate lighting in the room during near work activities? A. Although the causal factors for myopia are not clearly known yet, parents and teachers should always ensure that there is adequate lighting in areas or rooms allocated for near work activities such as reading, writing and using a computer. Avoid excessive glare from shining onto the children's books or face when reading. Ensure that they hold their books about 30 cm away from their eyes and sit upright on a comfortable chair. When using the computer, adjust the screen to reduce glare. Glare can result from the reflections of other sources of light. The computer screen should be placed about 50cm from the eyes. Q. Can eye exercises help to reduce myopia? A. Presently, eye exercises have not been proven to prevent myopia. The eye exercise that was introduced in schools, originates from China and is based on acupressure points. It is believed to relieve eye strain and as an art of relaxation. There are no reported harmful effects of the eye exercises. Q. Can myopia be prevented by participating in more outdoor activities? A. It is not proven whether outdoor activities can prevent myopia or delay myopia progression. There is a trend of increasing prevalence of myopia among young children and researchers have noted that children spend less time on outdoor activities. Children are encouraged to participate in outdoor activities like sports as these activities usually do not involve near work. Q. Does eating foods rich in Vitamin A help to prevent myopia? A. Vitamin A deficiency will cause night blindness and not myopia. It is important, however, to encourage children to eat a balanced diet and lead a healthy lifestyle. Your health - Headaches and eye strain What are headaches and eyestrain? Headaches can be caused by many different factors and are one of the most common reasons people visit their GP. Most headaches are not serious and usually disappear on their own. They can be relieved by mild painkillers, or a positive change in lifestyle. Eyestrain is also a common complaint among people doing 'close' work e.g. those who work using computer monitors. Eyestrain can be a trigger for headaches, but can usually be avoided by following simple guidelines. What are the signs of headache or eyestrain? A headache can range from a mild, throbbing feeling to a sharp, stabbing pain. Headaches can affect your whole head or just a part of it. The pain may move around, affect your vision or even cause nausea and vomiting. The two most common types of headache are tension headaches and migraine. Tension headaches do not usually last for a long time. Common symptoms of a tension headache include a generalised pain, i.e. not restricted to any one part of the head a feeling of 'tightness' around the head or neck or across the eyes Migraine, often a severe headache, can put you out of action for up to three days. This type of headache is usually restricted to one side of the head and accompanied by nausea and/or vomiting. Other symptoms can include blurred vision seeing flashing lights having blind spots impaired speech a tingling feeling in the face or arms Eyestrain can be a cause of headaches at work. You may be suffering from eyestrain if you are aware of tightness, itching or irritation in or around your eyes you often screw up your eyes or have difficulty focusing on distant objects after focusing on near ones for any length of time, or vice versa you experience temporary blurring of vision you experience headaches, or dizziness What can cause headaches or eyestrain? There are various different types of headaches and many different triggers. Such triggers include stress bad posture stuffy work area eye strain alcohol misuse The cause of migraine headaches is alteration to the size of blood vessels near the brain. Some known triggers include certain foods, such as chocolate or dairy products alcohol prolonged stress bright lights, loud noises or strong smells for women, use of the oral contraceptive pill Computer users may suffer eyestrain if they spend long hours in front of a computer screen and have poor eyesight have poor contrast on monitors, or difficult to read screens have bad lighting have a poor viewing angle are working too close to a computer monitor and/or document How can headaches or eyestrain be treated? Most headaches will usually clear up by themselves, or with the help of mild painkillers such as paracetamol, aspirin or ibuprofen. Be careful not to over use any painkiller - always read the label, or get advice from your pharmacist. If you are suffering with a headache, try to take a break and relax relieve tension by stretching or massaging the muscles of your face, neck or head Visit your occupational health physician or your GP immediately if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms: your headache keeps getting worse and/or has not cleared up after five days and/or does not respond to mild painkillers you have severe pain and blurred vision in or around the eye area, with nausea or vomiting you suddenly get a heavy throbbing pain in either of your temples, with nausea or vomiting you have constant vision disturbance you are experiencing recurring headaches with memory problems, lack of concentration and tiredness What can I do? The following simple guidelines can help prevent headaches and eyestrain at work: Make sure that your chair, desk and monitor are in the most comfortable position for you. Always sit upright with your back supported and use a footrest if your feet do not touch the ground. Avoid strong contrast of light between the monitor and the physical background. Make sure your monitor is clean, and try using an anti-glare screen. Make sure you work in a well-ventilated room, or try and work near an open window. Take regular breaks and walk around occasionally. Set the contrast and brightness of your display to a comfortable level. If you are typing a document onto a computer, make sure that both the document and the computer screen are at the same distance from your eyes; try using a document holder. During breaks, focus on something further away to rest your eye muscles. Make sure you have regular eye tests as advised by your optician. Try and avoid stress at work. Get a good night's sleep. Avoid misusing alcohol. If you smoke, try and stop, and cut down your intake of caffeine during the week. Help relieve headaches with this simple exercise. More information Health and safety (Display screen equipment) Regulations 1992 Migraine Action Association The Migraine Action Association is a registered charity, which aims to bridge the gap between the migraine sufferer and the medical world by providing information on all aspects of the condition and its management. Organisation for the Understanding of Cluster Headaches The Organisation for the Understanding of Cluster Headaches (OUCH) aims to increase awareness of cluster headaches and provide for sufferers and their families. Sussex University Assistive Technology Centre tips on avoiding eyestrain This is part of the website of the Assistive Technology Centre at Sussex University and gives good advice on avoiding eyestrain. London Hazards Centre The London Hazards Centre is a resource centre for Londoners fighting health and safety hazards in their workplace and community. This article focuses on eyes and vision within the workplace. contact lens irritation eye strain blurred vision computer vision syndrome irritation & burning night vision syndrome cataract dry eye syndrome lactic acid build-up retinal disease   Bookmark Computer and health Hyperlink code:  Link for forum:     Computer and Health: Health & Safety issues. FAQs on Myopia. Your health - Headaches and eye strain Eye Discomfort in the Office. Vision / Eye Strain. Computer eye strain Eye Problems. Headaches at Work. Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). Sick Building Syndrome Computer and Health Health Protection Software Health Organizations

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