Desktop lighting for comfortable use of a computer screen

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The contrast between a bright computer screen and a dark ambient environment may influence comfort of the users, especially on their eyes. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to identify the optimal desktop lighting for the comfortable use of the computer screen in a dark environment. METHODS: An experiment was designed where seven illumination setups were introduced for the users to perform their leisure tasks on a computer screen. Fifteen healthy subjects participated in the experiments. During each session, durations of the eye blinks, fixations and saccades of the user were recorded by an eye tracker. His/her neck and trunk movements were recorded by a motion tracking system as well. The comfort/discomfort questionnaire, localized postural discomfort questionnaire, NASA task load index and computer user questionnaire were used to record the overall comfort/discomfort, the local perceived physical discomfort, the cognitive workload, and general/eye health problems, respectively. RESULTS: Subjective and objective measurement results indicated that users felt more comfortable with high intensity warm lights using a computer screen. We also identified that the eye fixation durations, as well as the scores of two questions in the computer user questionnaire, have significant negative correlations with comfort. On the other side, the durations of blinks and the scores of three questions in the computer user questionnaire, were significantly correlated with discomfort. CONCLUSION: The warm (3000K) and high intensity (1500 lux) light reduced the visual and cognitive fatigue of the user and therefore improve the comfort of the user during the use of a computer screen.

Correlation between Eye Movements and Asthenopia: A Prospective Observational Study

“…To sum up, in a short reading time of about 20 minutes, the visit time and frequency changed, the number and time of xation decreased, the unknown saccade increased, and the reading speed slowed down. Compared with studies on longer visual tasks reported over recent years [12,15],this study further found that the eye movement parameters signi cantly changed over a short period. As in such a relatively short period of time, asthenopia may not rise so signi cantly to be detected by the subject; this proves the potential of eye-tracking technology for sensitive assessment of asthenopia.…”

“…In addition, when healthy people are driving, their eye movements, such as saccade speed, may signi cantly change with the emergence of mental or physical fatigue [10][11]. While a limited number of studies on the association of asthenopia and eye movement have been reported in recent years [12][13][14][15], the e cacy of eye movement for the objective assessment of asthenopia needs to be further examined.…”

“…In addition, when healthy people are driving, their eye movements, such as saccade speed, may signi cantly change with the emergence of mental or physical fatigue [10][11]. While a limited number of studies on the association of asthenopia and eye movement have been reported in recent years [12][13][14][15], the e cacy of eye movement for the objective assessment of asthenopia needs to be further examined.This study preliminary explored the correlation between different eye movement indexes and asthenopia symptoms and the possibility of using eye movement tracking in objective and measurable evaluation for asthenopia.…”

Correlation between Eye Movements and Asthenopia: A Prospective Observational Study

“…The visit time and frequency changed, the number and time of fixation decreased, the unknown saccade increased, and the reading speed slowed down. Compared with studies on longer visual tasks reported over recent years [ 12 , 15 ], this study further found that the eye movement changes can happen over a very short period of reading (20 min). As in such a relatively short time, asthenopia may not arise so significantly as to be detected by the subject; this demonstrates the potential of eye-tracking technology for sensitive assessment of asthenopia.…”

“…In addition, when healthy people are driving, their eye movements, such as saccade speed, may significantly change with the emergence of mental or physical fatigue [ 10 , 11 ]. While a limited number of studies on the association of asthenopia and eye movement have been reported in recent years [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ], the efficacy of eye movement for objective assessment of asthenopia needs to be further examined.…”