A FIELD STUDY INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VISUAL DISCOMFORT AND THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE IN VDU WORKERS: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

摘要

This paper reports the initial findings from a field study investigating whether visual discomfort in VDU workers is influenced by the phase of the menstrual cycle. The study took place at a BT Directory Assistance Centre and 52 participants have been tested to date. Participants were categorised into one of four groups, an experimental group (naturally cycling pre-menopausal women) and three control groups (oral contraceptive users, postmenopausal women and men). Visual discomfort was measured using a visual symptoms questionnaire, completed at the beginning and end of the shift, twice a week for a duration of five weeks. Variations in visual discomfort were seen over the menstrual cycle in the experimental group, with reports of discomfort increasing during the second week of the cycle. No consistent variation was evident in any of the three control groups.