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Abstract

“Visual fatigue” is often mentioned in discussions on the effects of different systems of lighting. Because the state so-named is not well understood, the nature and extent of the activities involved in seeing are examined to find a basis for it. Retinal fatigue—if it occurs at all—gives no feeling of “visual fatigue.” But vision is essentially a motor as well as a sensory process. Numerous muscles are necessarily at work for seeing; the action of others—of the face, head and neck—is common and helpful, and the whole voluntary neuromuscular system of the body participates in acts of the most intent vision. From excessive muscular—though not exclusively oculo-muscular—exertion and from “mental exertion” comes so-called “visual fatigue.” Such exertion may be due to unsuitable lighting, to “unphysiological” visual tasks or to ocular defects. Some relevant visual posture and time studies are described, and also, a study of facial muscular reactions to glare. Boredom and sleepiness due to lighting are distinguished from fatigue, and a definition is offered of “visual fatigue” in terms of the common meaning of “fatigue.”

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