Working in a digital darkroom is less hazardous than dealing with some of the chemicals found in a traditional wet darkroom, but it’s not without a few risks of its own. Sometime digital imagers become so mesmerized by a monitor filled with high-resolution images that they get lost in a project, and keep on working past the point of mental and physical fatigue, striving to create “the ultimate image.”
Too much of anything–even digital imaging–can be hazardous to your health. I’m not just talking about Repetitive Motion Syndrome (RMS) and problems related to using a mouse and a keyboard. There are other potential problems lurking. I’m not a doctor and don’t even play one on TV, but would like to pass along a few tips on how to make using your computer a more healthful experience.
The eyes have it
Vision is one of the biggest health issues facing digital imagers and others who spend all day looking at computer screens. If you wear glasses, when was the last time you had an eye exam? A prescription that results in even slightly blurred vision when working at your computer can cause problems, and if you have a previously undiagnosed vision problem, it will only become worse with increased computer use.
Due to the natural aging process, you may have presbyopia, which causes eyes to lose their ability to focus on near objects. If you are farsighted, computer use forces your eyes to work harder than normal in order to focus on the screen. All this additional work causes eyestrain and fatigue. Even with a current prescription, contact lens users might experience dry-eye problems, and should consider using products such as artificial tears to keep their eyes moist and healthy.
Prevention tips from the experts Here are some tips about the ergonomics of vision and computer use that have been suggested by the American Optometric Association (AOA) and other medical and scientific groups:
- Use low-level lighting in your workspace. Try to match the brightness of your monitor with that of the surrounding area. The AOA suggests twenty to seventy foot-candles or about one-half the average level found in a typical office.
- Eyestrain, headaches, and fatigue caused by monitor glare can create symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome. The best solution is to place your monitor where glare is not a problem.
Monitor your monitor! Some flat-panel LCD monitors have a soft plastic surface that virtually eliminates glare. Flat-panel screens have other advantages as well, including less power consumption and radiation and a smaller desktop footprint. Samsung’s 17-inch SyncMaster 173mw is an LCD monitor that provides a 16:10 aspect ratio, 1280 x 768 resolution, and a 500:1 contrast ratio that ensures crisp visuals for computing applications.
- The front of your screen should be between eighteen and thirty-one inches from your eyes. An ideal viewing angle is 10 to 20 degrees below eye level. When looking at the center of a screen, your head should be angled slightly downward. If you need to refer to another document, place that document at the same height and angle as the screen.
- Choosing a high-quality monitor is a must. The monitors that are easiest on the eyes have the most stable images. You should look for screens that offer a 75+ hertz refresh rates, high pixel count, and low dot-pitch (.28mm or less).
Something’s in the air
In the bad old days of computing, the first air conditioners many employees encountered were the ones the company installed to keep the computer–not the employees–cool. The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers recommends that office climate should be kept between seventy-three and seventy nine degrees during the summer and sixty-eight and seventy-four degrees during the winter. A relative humidity between thirty and sixty percent is also recommended. Because of Colorado’s dry climate, I installed a humidifier in my home’s furnace to add humidity.
Stretch and excercise
Before pounding on those keys and grabbing that mouse, take a few minutes to stretch your hands to warm them. During the winter, my former home office was so cold—would you believe 58 degrees! – that to keep my hands warm I had to wear the same fingerless wool gloves I use for photography outdoors during chilly weather.
Take alternative task breaks throughout the day. To maintain a low stress level, muscle recovery needs to take place throughout the day. San Francisco’s Occupational Medicine Clinic recommends a ten-minute break at least once an hour and a computing day of four to six hours. The British Association of Scientific, Technical, and Managerial Staffs recommends a thirty-minute break with a maximum of two hours at the keyboard. Taking breaks not only helps keep you healthier, but also makes you more productive. If you work until your muscles ache, you’ve waited to long.
Exercise is not just a good idea; it’s something you should do each day. Put down the M&Ms and Mountain Dews and go outside and take a walk. If you’re in pain, see a doctor promptly. While you’re there, ask for a recommendation about an exercise program or health regimen. Just because you don’t eat junk food, doesn’t mean you have a healthy diet.
Joe Farace is Colorado-based photographer/writer who has written or edited 24 books and 1300 magazine stories. His newest book is The Advanced Digital .Photographer’s Workbook from Focal Press. > www.focalpress.com< Please visit his websites at www.joefarace.com and www.joefaraceshootscars.com.
