Guest Author - Anne Asher

Establishing ergonomically sound monitor tilt angles can be likened to finding the place on a spectrum between blocking out unwanted glare, and an assuming a healthy, comfortable neck position. This article is biased toward monitor tilt angles that have a positive effect on neck comfort and position. In a future article, I will cover the many aspects of monitor glare.

In general ergonomists recommend that the monitor be tilted back. This means that the top of the monitor will be further from the eyes than the bottom of the monitor. While tilting the monitor back does nothing to reduce glare from overhead lighting, and therefore eyestrain, it will enable you to view the entire screen clearly.

Research Findings
	Research by Ankrum and Nemeth (1996) compared monitor tilts. This research showed that neck discomfort was particularly present when the monitor was tilted down (top closer to eyes than bottom. Sometimes people tilt their monitors down to avoid discomforting glare.) When the monitor was tilted down and also placed low, the most visual and neck discomfort resulted.
	Visual comfort (except for the effects of glare) is established in much the same way as neck comfort, with the monitor tilted back.

Monitor Tilt Simulation
The next time you read a book or magazine:

• Notice how you naturally hold it for the most comfortable reading. Most likely, it will be with the top further away than the bottom.


• Try rotating the reading material forward so that the top becomes closest.


• Take note of your level of comfort.

Visual System
Generally, we tend to see objects that are further away in the upper part of our visual field. Conversely, we tend to see object that are closer in the lower part of our visual field. Ankrum states, �As a result, our visual system has developed to perform best when the visual plane tilts away from us at the top.�