Eye discomfort when reading microfilm in different enlargers

At a large banking firm, the lighting conditions under which middle-aged women employees read microfilms in different enlargers were studied. Complaints from the staff were analyzed and compared with the results obtained. Discomfort glare, due to heavy contrasts between the dark documents on the screens and other light surfaces in the visual fields, was the main cause of the complaints. It was recommended that individual near-work spectacles might decrease or eliminate some of the disturbing factors which had led to the subjective complaints. Suggestions were made for improving the enlargers.