Their Health Issues What are VDUS VDUS stands

Their Health Issues

What are VDU’S ? VDU’S stands for "Visual Display Unit. “ It is essentially a television-type monitor that displays information that are received from a computer or from other electronic device This includes its own display electronics which store the received data and convert it into electrical waveforms which are then shown on the VDU. The term VDU is often used synonymously with "monitor, " but it can also refer to another type of display, such as a digital projector.

Visual display units may be peripheral devices or may be integrated with the other components like a keyboard and a mouse. Peripheral devices are external devices which provides input and output for the computer. There are three types of visual display unit, these are the cathode ray tube, the liquid crystal display and the plasma monitor.

Early years In the early years VDUs were primarily cathode ray tube (CRT) and display typically had a diagonal size of 13 inches or less. These VDUs used to have a rectangular shape and they lacked gadgets. In the sense that they used to have only one font which could be used and many more. Later on During the 1990 s, 15 inch and 17 inch displays became standard, and some manufacturers began producing displays over 20 inches in size. Apart from the size VDUs started to become more efficient in a way that different fonts and programmes could be used and they also became more pleasing to the eye and more efficient.

At the turn of the century, flat panel displays became more common, and by 2006, the CRT displays were hard to find. Today, it is common for computers to come with VDUs that are 20 inches to 30 inches in size and it is also common to find VDUs that are very efficient and modern, with many gadgets like touch screen, power saving, 3 D screens, the ability to have different accessorises being attached to it through different ports etc.

• Yet again the recent growth in LCD, plasma, and LED technology is helping in the manufacturing of large screens which are by far more cost effective than the ones before.

. V. D. U’s Health Issues According to the American Optometric Association, a nationwide survey of optometrists revealed that about 14 % of patients suffered from vision issues, as a result of VDU use

What are the Symptoms ? Symptoms included blurred vision, headaches and eye, neck and shoulder strain. Ocular discomfort typically subsides once the individual stops using the VDU.

• Looking at a computer screen for a long time without a break may make your eyes feel more uncomfortable • Makes you aware of eye problems that weren’t causing any symptoms. • Until recently most screens have been based on the cathode ray tube (CRT) technique.

VDU’s and their radiations • X-ray radiation: This is produced within the CRT. The glass material of the tube, however, effectively prevents any leakage of X-ray radiation outside the tube. Thus, X-ray emission from VDUs is not detectable. • Ultraviolet radiation (UVR): UVA (long wavelength UVR) radiation can be detected from certain VDUs. • Electrostatic fields, air ions: Electrostatic fields at VDU workplaces have been suggested as a possible cause of skin disorders.

Can radiation from VDUs be harmful to health? • The levels of most radiations and electromagnetic fields emitted from VDUs are much less than those from natural sources. • Such as the sun or even the human body, and all are well below levels considered harmful by expert bodies such as the International Radiation Protection Association and the World Health Organisation. • So Radiation emissions from VDUs are not considered to be harmful to health.

How do other types of display screens compare with VDUs? • Flat screen displays, such as the liquid-crystal or gas-plasma displays used in some laptop computers, produce even small amounts of radiation than those which use television-type tubes.

Done by ; Rebecca Rakele Thomas Wendy