title: Eye-neck interactions triggered by visually deficient computer work.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the joint occurrence of eye-and-neck/scapular area symptoms and their association with occupational risk factors in a cross-sectional sample of professional information technology users.
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants consisted of 3,971 employees who worked with computers for a minimum of one hour a day. 2,551 (73%) were men and 945 (27%) women, with an age range of 18 up to 64 years. The mean age was 38.1 (SD=10.7) for men and 37.6 (SD=12.0) for the women. The measures were obtained via a self-administered survey in combination with a visual examination conducted by an optometrist.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two complementary logistic regression analyses with forced entry was conducted on n=3,496 (88% adjusted response rate) cases. The effect of ocular symptoms on the risk of reporting musculoskeletal symptoms, or vice versa, was examined first in two separate binominal logistic regression analyses. Age, Gender, Near work variable and Visual functioning variables were included in these analyzes. Variables associated with the risk of developing an increase in either symptom category were also examined in two additional binomial logistic regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exposure to spectacles (single vision, multifocal, or progressive correction) in combination with a visual acuity <1 surfaced as a key mediator of symptoms from the neck/scapular area (p<0.01). A vergence disparity (uncompensated vergence error) similarly was associated with an augmented risk of developing an increase in neck/scapular area symptoms (p<0.05). The most influential risk factor for neck/scapular area symptoms were ocular symptoms and vice versa (p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results support the hypothesis which postulates that eye-neck/scapular area symptoms interaction may be due to a functional coupling from and between the eye-neck/scapular area muscles [28].
authors.affiliation: Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Department of Occupational and Public Health Science, Faculty of Health and Working Life, University of Gävle, Sweden. hrr@hig.se
authors.forename: Hans O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zetterlund
authors.forename: Lars-Olov
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Lundqvist
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001248:Asthenopia / Q000209:etiology*; D003201:Computers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult