Volume 5, Number 3
As we age, some of us have discovered that our vision requirements are changing. Presbyopia, the normal age-related loss of near focusing ability, usually becomes a problem in our 40s. There are many ways to compensate for this with the most frequently seen and most easily observed being the use of corrective lenses. A variety of solutions are available to make reading computer displays and other office tasks easier.
Single Vision Glasses work best when the computer display and other reading materials are at approximately the same distance. However, they have only one focal distance, limiting their flexibility.
Specially Designed Bi-Focals have the upper portion set for reading computer displays, while the lower portion is used for seeing up close. These glasses have a line that is visible to both the user and others and do not have any benefit for distance viewing.
Occupational Tri-Focals use the top for distance viewing, a large intermediate area for computer display viewing, and have a bottom portion for other reading tasks. While this eliminates one limitation of the preceding glasses, these still have a visible line which may make some users self-conscious.
Occupational Progressive Lenses have a narrow channel at the top for "far intermediate" (approximately 15-ft) viewing distance, a large intermediate zone for computer display reading, and a large lower channel for other reading tasks. These three areas will accommodate an employee throughout the workday and eliminate the lines associated with multi-focal lenses. These glasses should be left at the desk.
Another option that many people choose is the use of traditional progressive lenses. These types of glasses introduce similar problems as traditional bi-focals while using the computer. The reading channel is not wide enough and usually too low for computer viewing.
In addition to corrective lenses, employees can make their computer display easier to read by enlarging the characters displayed on it. There are at least two methods for accomplishing this—changing the display resolution setting, and utilizing program specific magnifying tools.
The display or screen resolution tells the computer how many pixels should be displayed. To make text (or anything else being displayed) appear larger, simply tell the computer to display fewer pixels on the screen. In Windows XP, this feature can be found under the Start Menu®Control Panel®Display or by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting Properties, and then click on the Settings tab. Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) have a "native resolution"—one where the image is the most clear—and it is usually their highest resolution. Adjusting the resolution downward on these displays will make the images larger, but not as clear.
Many applications, including the Microsoft Office Suite, will allow the user to select a magnification level. A dropdown box for this feature is included in the "Standard" toolbar for Microsoft Office applications. The Standard toolbar can be selected through the View menu (View®Toolbars®Standard). If the magnification level is not displayed in the Standard toolbar, select "Add or Remove Buttons" by clicking the down arrow at the end of the toolbar and selecting "Zoom:". Since this feature zooms in on the display, rather than changing the font size, text and pictures will show larger on the screen, but still print at a reasonable size.
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The information herein is for reference only and State Fund does not warranty its accuracy or fitness for a particular purpose. Any products, references, or links to Web sites are not an endorsement by State Fund or its employees, but serve only as examples to assist you with your workplace design changes. State Fund cannot be held liable or accountable for content on linked Web sites.
