Mini Break Intervention in Preventing Asthenopia among Drawing Workers using Standard and Widescreen Size VDT at Construction Company in Jakarta

Background,Minibreak intervention may solve asthenopia which has a main problem among workers using VDT. Asthenopia is measured with near point convergence (NPC). The purpose of this study was to determine convergence power difference that mini break produces between workers using standard VDT and widescreen VDT. Methods, Sixty six workers were divided into four groups: minibreak and no minibreak intervention in standard VDT users and widescreen VDT users. The difference of NPC before and after 4 hours of VDT exposure and 4 hours of exposure with a 15 minute minibreakwere measured in all groups using RAF ruler. Results, Minibreak intervention resulted in a significant difference of convergence power between workers using standard VDT (p=0.000) and widescreen VDT (p=0.000). But the differences of convergence between standard VDT and widescreen VDT were not significant in those given minibreak (p=0.9694) and those not given (p=0.6251). Conclusion, Mini break intervention produced significant differences in convergence power between both groups but the size of the VDT had no effect.