How to Position Your Computer Monitor in an Ergonomically Correct Way

The average office can wreak havoc on your body in the form of high blood pressure, varicose veins, neck and back pain, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and a plethora of other problems. And it’s not just your chair that has it against you, even something as simple as the way your computer monitor is placed can affect your health in the long run. With that being said, to help you avoid many of the office-related strains caused by a badly positioned monitor, here are some tips on how to set it up in an ergonomically correct way.

Find the Right Height

A badly positioned computer monitor can lead to eye strain, migraines, and neck and shoulder pain. If your computer monitor is placed too low, it can cause you to slouch over. And if it’s placed too high, you will need to tilt your head up, thus putting stress on your neck. And if it’s not in line with your eyes, reading from it can become tiresome. To ensure the monitor is at an ideal height, your eyes should directly be in line with 5-7 cm from the top of the screen. To achieve this, you can either raise your chair if the screen is too high or use a stand for monitor if it’s too low.

There’s a variety of monitor stands to choose from. Which one is the right for you depends on the type of monitor you use as well as your desk’s design. The most commonly used stand for monitor is the modular riser. Since it’s modular in design, you can simply add or take out platforms to tweak the screen’s height so that it’s at the correct eye level. This adjustable design allows you to use the riser with a variety of monitors and desks. Many modular monitor stands also have platforms that can double as drawers, thus helping you stay organised. In addition, there are also monitor stands that can be attached to the monitor directly, allowing you to also adjust the angle of the screen.

Measure the Distance

Our parents always warned us not to sit near the screen or we’d go blind. Although it may be exaggerated, it seems there is some truth to this warning. When you sit to close to a screen, your eyes cannot focus properly, which leads to eye strain and blurry vision. Exerting your eyes to focus better can, in turn, cause headaches and fatigue. To prevent this, the general advice is to place the monitor at an arm’s length. If it’s larger than 20”, you can place it even further away.

Reduce Glare

The glare on the computer screen can make it hard to read and cause discomfort and eye strain. Try to position your monitor in a way where there’s no glare. This means away from the windows and overhead lighting. If you can’t position the monitor in a spot where there’s no glare, try tilting it downwards to reduce the effect.