Visual comfort in VDT operation: physiological resting states of the eye

To recommend a comfortable visual display terminal (VDT) workstation design in an aspect of visual ergonomics, physiological resting states of the eye in 3 visual systems, pupil, vergence, and accommodation, were objectively investigated in 3 experiments. Experiment 1 ascertained a positive display polarity (dark characters on a bright background) and an illumination level of 500 lx to be the most appropriate working conditions, by using pupil analysis and subjective visual comfort in 10 subjects. Dark vergence, in experiment 2, was evaluated to be at a distance of about 50 cm from the eye, as an average in 14 subjects. Dark vergence was found to shift farther with an upward gaze while a nearer shift occurred with a downward gaze. In experiment 3, the average dark focus for 11 subjects was found to be 1.4 diopters (D) or a distance of about 74 cm from the eye. The positive correlation between refractive status of the eye and dark focus was statistically significant (r = 0.602). The ergonomic recommendations for a VDT workstation obtained in this study are a positive display polarity with an appropriate lighting condition, a downward gaze, and a viewing distance between 50 and 70 cm. These recommendations are considered to reduce visual fatigue due to prolonged VDT work and to facilitate visual comfort at work.