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Background: The aim of the study was to measure the prevalence and intensity of eye symptoms in office workers who use computers on a regular basis, and to find out if the symptoms depend on the duration of computer use and other work-related factors., Material and Methods: Office workers employed at large social services companies in two cities (Warszawa and Katowice) were invited to fill in a questionnaire (cross-sectional study). The questions included work history and history of last-week eye symptoms and eye-related complains. Altogether 477 men and women returned the completed questionnaires. Between-group symptom differences were tested by the chi-square test and verified by the results of multivariate logistic analysis. The examined effects included the role of daily computer use and lighting conditions at work stations., Results: The examined persons complained of such eye symptoms as eye strain, visual acuity impairment and mucosal dryness or eye burning. The following values of symptom prevalence were found in women and men, respectively: eye strain 50.7% and 32.6%, disturbed visual acuity 38.3% and 21.2%, mucosal dryness and eye burning 46.5% and 24.2%. The results of multivariate analysis confirmed the statistically significant effects of lighting intensity and screen flickering on the occurrence of symptoms., Conclusions: Frequent occurrence of eye symptoms and their associatation with some characteristics of the work environment point to the need of observing ergonomic standards of work stations and of the usage of computers at work.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the visual work on the tear film and the degree of eye strain., Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted among 50 people working 4 h with different types of monitors (CRT, LCD) and without a monitor. Schirmer's test and evaluation of the degree of eye strain were performed in all subjects before and after work., Results: The studies revealed no significant change in Schirmer's test. Most people reported eye fatigue after every kind of visual work. The highest degree of eye strain was noted after work with the CRT display screen, especially among people with dry eye syndrome., Conclusion: The studies revealed no significant impact of various visual works on the tear film. However, they showed that any kind of intense eye work may cause eye irritation and strain, particularly in the people affected by dry eye syndrome.