Summary. Introduction: Visual fatigue is caused by changes in the muscular apparatus and retina of the eye and is characterized by deterioration in their functional activity. Along with an increase in work experience and age, workplace visual stress promotes the loss of performance. Known methods of visual fatigue prevention and eye strain relief are ineffective. In this regard, a technique of relieving visual fatigue using scattered low-level red laser radiation was developed and patented. The purpose of our study was a retrospective evaluation of effectiveness of the visual fatigue reduction technique. Materials and methods: We examined two groups of women (PC operators and jewellers) aged 43–57 years experiencing visual stress at work and practicing the method under study over the previous 20 years. The state of daylight vision was assessed by adaptation time. Results: A five-day testing of the method of visual fatigue relief showed stabilization of the light sensitivity threshold throughout the work shift. Over the 20-year period, the female workers had had no complaints of eye strain, burning or lacrimation. Objective studies of the functional state of the organ of sight showed that the light sensitivity threshold during the working day in two study groups was significantly lower than that in the control group with no preventive measures taken. Conclusions: We established that using the technique of eye strain relief based on a two-minute binocular exposure to red laser radiation with the power density of 2×10–7 W/cm2, a 5-day course every six months over the period of 20 years, helped retain retinal activity in terms of light sensitivity, thus preventing visual fatigue.
Strain Relief Device
