Goodbye Aching Neck: A Practical Test of Two Notebook Stands

3. Setting The Monitor Height

Along with the field of vision, the correct height is also of considerable importance. The best height is usually considered to be one where the top line of characters on your screen is just below eye level. Here the head is neither inclined too far backwards nor bent too severely downwards, preventing excessive strain on the neck and shoulders.

Monitor positioning according to the standard school of thought

Vertical field of vision. A indicates the ideal area, B the maximum field of vision without moving the head (source: Handbuch der Bildschirmarbeit)

For a relaxed head position, the line of vision to the center of the monitor should be at a downward angle of approximately 35°. The distance between user and monitor should be at least 20 inches (50 cm) with a minimum font size of 0.13 inches (3.2 mm, or about 9 points) on a 15" monitor. As the display size increases, the device should be placed further away from the user and the font size increased as well. For example, on a 17" screen, the minimum font size is 0.15 inches (3.9 mm or 11 points) and the minimum distance 24 inches (60 cm).

These numbers are based on the information available in the pertinent ergonomic literature of the past few years. But new studies - as well as good old common sense - lead to a different conclusion. That is because it is clear to any observer that people automatically and perceptibly look downwards when concentrating on a nearby object, e.g. when reading. We never observe people holding their reading material in a manner resembling the putatively "ergonomic" display position. (Have you ever seen someone reading a book by holding it in their outstretched arms at eye level?) The reason you haven't is that our eyes are particularly good at focusing sharply on, or "accommodating", objects in our near field of vision when looking down; they do not tire as quickly in that position.

It follows that ideally, the monitor should be placed in the center of your near-vision field, i.e. at an angle of 20 degrees or more below eye level. Usually, however, this can only be achieved by placing the notebook in an extremely oblique and low position. Logically, then, stand-alone displays would have to be sunk into the table, as the diagram would seem to indicate.

The red curves mark the eye's focal point in the near field of vision, which gets closer the more the gaze is directed downwards. (Source: J. Reiner, "Belastung bei der Bildschirmarbeit durch ungünstige Sehrichtung" ["Monitor Strain Caused by Unfavorable Line of Sight"])