Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hello Dakka!

For the last six months I worked mainly in front of a computer for 7-10hrs a day. When I came home, I tried to find some time to paint up the minis I have lying around; it usually was getting dark already at that time, so I turned on every lamp I had in the room. However, this did not equal real sunlight, of course.

Now, I know stories of a student who learned so hard for her medical exam that she needed glasses afterwards, because she spent so many hours of the day staring at paper close in front of her. I'm now a bit in fear that a student's life - books, computers - and painting and modeling, all activities where you stare at things very close in front of you - may harm my eyesight in the long run.

Anyone got experience on how the hobby affected your health, in this case especially your eyes?

Thanks in advance,
Witzkatz

My eyes have gotten worse im sure.

And since i paint on my bed leaning on my blanket weirdly
after a few hours my leg and back hurts ><

Man, Luna changes her avatar more often than I change socks.

On topic, I think you just need to take all things in moderation. I've not noticed an effect on my health, but I'm just getting to be 17.

Yup. My eye sights up the swanny, but nothing a set of contact lenses or glasses can sort out.

Being short sighted is quite an advantage really I can now pick out smaller deatil and read smaller print now.

I started Painting when I was 8 whan I was brougth Hero Quest, I later moved on to Battelmaster, WHFB, EPIC, and finally 40K and was wearing Glasses by the time I was 14. Now i'm 29 and the decrase in my eyesight has slowed, kind of leveled out, I still neen glasses though.

Thanks for your answers!

I've thought about limiting my daily modeling/painting intake to one hour and not more and to counterbalance that with being outside (long view range) for at least an hour, too. Not sure if that helps, but a little bit of fresh air is probably never wrong.

The point is, my eyes are not that bad - however, they are on the edge of probably needing glasses and I'm trying to avoid that.

It is surgested in health and safty guidling for computer use (close enough) that a 5 minuite break should be taken every hour (55 min painting 5 mins rest). It is also surgests in this time you should try and focus on something in the distance.

I hope this helps

People's sight tends to get worse with age anyway, so there's not much you can do.

Try painting outside? You can save time excersicing by getting up and going outside, by being outside and not needing to get up!

had to go for treatment for my eyes. Doc said always use a lamp, and try to paint for one hour then break. its the squinting to concentrate on the details that hurts your eyes.

Me sight hasn't got damaged yet, and while I never painted a lot, I draw chainmails on my dudes with a 005 marker.

Ive been playing/painting since '96 and my sight is still 20/20, however what I'M most concerned about is the long term exposure to glues,paints, overll caustic substances we deal with

Those are your friends! I tell you, between the hobby and my studies at Special Effects I've been in contact (most of the times neglecting security meassures, but that's me being an idiot) with a lot of toxic substances and nothing's been happening to me, it almost looks like I'm being aken care by Nur... oh sh*t!

Use a fluro lamp.. If I dont use one it can be a strain.. also if your eyes are sore dont paint.. I once spent alot of time infront of the computer and my eyes were sore then I tried to paint and they continued to be sore, so I took some time off for it. Also I've been short sighted since as long as I remeber so ymmv.

Eat carrots get regular sleep?

The secret to healthy eyes while painting and modeling:

Take breaks every 25-30 minutes go out into the garden, noisey out of the window at what the neighbours are doing.

I have noticed that over the past 10 years or so I can't paint as long as I used to with out getting blurry vision,and I also now have to wear glasses when I paint to really see details that used to be crisp and sharp many moons ago.
Of course I will be turning 40 on my next birthday,so I guess it's to be expected.

Witzkatz wrote:Now, I know stories of a student who learned so hard for her medical exam that she needed glasses afterwards, because she spent so many hours of the day staring at paper close in front of her.

Urban legend.

That's actually true. When I went in to get new glasses last year, the opthamologist asked me if I was in Law or Medicine, since he knew I was a student. I replied that I was finishing pre-med the next semester and he was all: "Ah, that explains it.", saying I'd want to come back and get a new prescription a year or two out of college since my eyes will have adjusted back from all the reading and close-up work by then.

I'm 32 and have excellent long range vision but up close my eyes get tired fast. A cheapo pair of drugstore brand reading glasses helps out a lot when painting and modeling, it lets me relax my eyes and magnifies the work a little bit at the same time. I use a computer all day as well but I have a large monitor and keep it a few feet away, so my eyes don't really get tired during the day.

I haven't had any problems, to be honest. Not with my eyes anyway. Generally I have good lighting (2 huge fluorescent tubes overhead) when I work. I can usually only paint one or two minis before my neck and back start to hurt though (I prefer to paint standing up and looking down as I work). But nothing 2 advil and a Tylenol won't fix. Then it's 'grab a guiness from the fridge' or 'make a cup of tea' and get back to work.

Maybe they just needed glasses to begin with.

I stare at a computer for 8 hours a day for work, often more for school and then more for my hobbies. I also stare closely at models for painting.

I still have some of the sharpest vision of anyone I know (luckily for me, but my wife is jealous). Your scenario is a coincidence.

I suppose it could affect everyone differently, I certainly wouldn't want to have my vision ruined because of extensive painting, though...for warhammer...I suppose it's a chance I'll have to take

No I don't believe it effects me. I'm near sighted and my prescription has been pretty stable for about 4 years. My hobbies are making comic strips, writing, Warhammer 40K and making tiki drinks so as you can tell most of what I do (sans tiki drinks) is dealing with small detail. When I do small things like eyes I tend to take my glasses off because I see the small detail larger up close.

Yes your eyesight wil get damaged if you stare at things very close in front of you in the loon run, you will get some. And its not just upp very close, its from you looking att stuff frome the same distance and angel al the time. Its not that good for the muscles in your eyes. If you do that your eyesight will get damaged.. its just a matter of time... Your eyes were never designed for that purpose.
You can compare that to not using your legs and sitting down during a loong period. Do your legs muscles not get stiff? The same will happen with your eye msucles if you dont move them.

You have to exercise your eyes to like everyting els. For people that dont do a lot of reading or sitting and staring into a screen all day it will occure naturaly from shifting your eyesight from things further ahaed to things close to you, and from shifting your eyes from side to side. But for you that stare at things att the same distance al the time you need to exerscise your eyes.
Take a short brake and look at things further ahead of you and look to your sides from time to time.
If your reading, nothing is preventing you from varying the distance betwen your nose and your book. You dont have to read it upp close all the time.

In short, your eyes are like everything with your body, you have to exercise it and use it.

My eyesight has always been bad. I've worn glasses since I was 5. At first, they were the stereotypical coke bottle glasses, explaining why I got in so many fights in grade school. I wore bifocals until my thirties, but now I have metal frames with polarized polycarbonate lenses. The point? If painting toy soldiers ruins your eyesight, we have the technology to fix it. Now, other stuff like the hobby chasing away your girlfriend or getting you ostracized by the 'cool' crowd is another issue altogether. That's why 40K is so grimdark and 'moar skullz!!!', because of the simmering nerdrage just under the surface.

I've been painting figures for 30 years now and my eyesight is still fine close up, mind you I need glasses for distance now...
Mick

Bubbalicous is right.

My Mother in Law is doing a PHd in the area (I know, how convenient) so I just asked her.
Just in case anyone is wondering, the subject is the environmental factors that assist the newly blind in recovering to their new form of life. Sad but greatly needed.

Very complicated question, it has a lot to do with the person. But in general, using your eye in one way for prolonged periods of time without readjusting what you are looking at causes damage and fatigue in the eye muscles.

Adjusting what you are looking at (IE painting and every 5 minutes focusing on something a great distance away) can help alleviate this. But age generally is also such a big factor that I wouldn't become a Nazi about this.

Another thing that I do (Forgot to ask her, and cannot be bothered now that I am writing this) is use a day light lamp.

I find that my eyes are significantly less fatigued when I use this style of lamp (But not entirely sure on the evidence for this). I know that it is highly recommended for painting in general to get the colors right, but not sure where this ends)

I still have 20/20 (But I'm only 25, so I wouldn't mind keeping it for a little longer) but as long as you take appropriate breaks you should limit most of the negative effects.

But as people have said before,
modern technology can help here.

Finally a real reason why nerdy smart people (msyelf included, haha) wear glasses. Too much study!!

I've also worn glasses since I was 5.
I have astigmatism and myopia in my right eye (the left is a shade off perfect). I wear glasses because for some reason monocles are not seen as 'the coolzor'.

I frequently shift my focus from up close to further away while painting/modelling. I do most model making/painting between 12 to 18". My computer monitor sits a bit over 2' away (I can't reach the screen with my fingertips from my chair without leaning forwards). I paint with a daylight globe (or using daylight.

I can also see the Tv in the living room from my desk and out through the study window.

My eyes have not got worse in the last 15 years - much to the surprise of my optician.

Pretty sure it's not good for you. I get tired quicker now that i work at a comuter all day. And working on the floor with my warlord project definatly cause back ache and dead-legs/pins and needles!!!!