Hello all! i have been dealing with eye strain from screens since my late teens, the problem is that my job heavily requieres me to use screens atleast 5 hours a day ;(
My main symptoms are very bloodshot eyes (that worsen as the hours go by using the screen) and bad quality sleep, my skin somehow doesnt like being close to a screen all day i get dark circles under eyes and redish facial skin, it all goes away only after being screen free for atleast 3 days...
I dont really have dry eyes i believe and no headaches, i also try to blink alot and it doesnt seem to help.
I do remember however that being at the cinema and watching Lord of the Rings the extended version a few months back i had the feeling watching the proyected screen didnt cause me any redish eyes, but it cant be really a strong test as it was only 2 or 3 hours.
My VA screen is an LG 35wn75c
IPS i have tried the HP M24f
Then i have an Oled laptop Asus pro vivobook 16 inch and amoled phone, they also cause me strain but maybe a slight bit less than monitors (maybe due to screen size?)
CRT i just tried it out yesterday with no luck same strain or even more, its an CTX 775d from 1996
So far i have tried alot of small attempts to find the cause such as eye drops of diferent types, flux software, blue light blocking glasses of diferent brands, dimming the brightness (this helps a little bit but not much), tried IPS panel, VA panel (the worst i have tested), oled phone and laptop seem to bother aswell but not as much as VA.
As an interesting fact, i play alot of Padel here in Spain and when the bright lights are on at night my eyes also seem to get irritated (bloodshot and tired feeling),i also feel it in bars/mall with any artificial light on, i dont know if its because of the lights or because my eyes are so bad from the earlier hours of the day using screens that my eyes can later in the day still be affected and react to those lights.
Any idea what it can be or what i can test?
Thanks so much in advance
Eye Strain cause Journey
Re: Eye Strain cause Journey
Eyestrain is a wild goose chase. What works for one, might not work for others. However, there are a few common culprits such as:
- PWM dimming flicker (present in OLED laptops and phones)
- Strobing (a form of PWM dimming, single-strobe as opposed to multi-strobe)
- Response times / motion blur / motion-related eyestrain (yes, this can cause eyestrain for some too)
- PPI (a low PPI can cause the eyes to strain themselves more as opposed to higher PPI levels such as +200PPI)
(look at "Effects of high pixel density on reading comprehension, proofreading performance, mood state, and physical discomfort" for more information)
- Brightness (too high is not preferred, stick to 50-150 nits range imo and look into having indirect light behind your screen & keep ambient light high, avoiding harsh contrast)
- Color gamut / color temperature (sRGB clamp if DCI P3 causes issues. Colder color temperature (+7000k) should be avoided, go for 5500k at day and <2700k at night)
- LCD artifacts (mostly prevalent in TN, can happen on VA & IPS, is a issue for some)
- Another possible culprit is a brightness dip caused by refresh logic (brightness variation every refresh cycle so 180hz = ~5.5ms in a sawtooth shape), which can occur on some transitions (colors). This happens on OLED as well as on LCD and some people have reported being able to discern this.
General tech-related tips I can give you:
- Switch to tested DC dimmed LCD displays (by verified reviewers), avoid OLED for now.
- Go for HDR400 displays to avoid FRC (but this certification is sadly not consistent)
- Avoid turning on strobing and VRR
- As for specific monitor recommendation, it's a tough choice.
1440p & 4k high refresh rate monitors have KSF phosphor issue, which has been linked to eyestrain by quite a few people (new type of backlight.
1080p high refresh rate panels and 1440p/4k @ 60hz panels should be safe however.
You gotta decide on whether resolution or refresh rate is worth it to you (office vs gaming)
Don't forget to look at higher PPI panels such as portable 16-17.3" monitors (basically refurbished laptop panels) which are 1440p or 4k in resolution (Innoview, Asus, Viewsonic produce some) or Retina iMac's, they're gorgeous for office work due to their sharpness.
- Avoid display exposure at night-time, if possible, for proper circadian rhythm (blue light is not good to look at)
- Avoid using glasses for computers (lens-induced eyestrain is a thing)
- Look into if light bulbs in your home are flickering, they're a very common culprit people disregard.
Another thing, non-tech related, I could advise you is to do some blood work (which I hope Chief won't mind)
People, especially in the tech industry, often forget this factor the most.
Red skin is usually a sign of some disbalance / issue in your body.
Enjoy the sun, it's healthy for your body.
I'd suggest going for supplements from a reputable brand such as LE, in particular VIt D3+K2, Mg, Vit C, Macuguard (saffron, lutein & zeaxanthin)
They could alleviate some concerns you might have.
As a end note:
Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. Never disregard the advice of a medical professional, or delay in seeking it because of something you have read online.
Hope this helps.
- PWM dimming flicker (present in OLED laptops and phones)
- Strobing (a form of PWM dimming, single-strobe as opposed to multi-strobe)
- Response times / motion blur / motion-related eyestrain (yes, this can cause eyestrain for some too)
- PPI (a low PPI can cause the eyes to strain themselves more as opposed to higher PPI levels such as +200PPI)
(look at "Effects of high pixel density on reading comprehension, proofreading performance, mood state, and physical discomfort" for more information)
- Brightness (too high is not preferred, stick to 50-150 nits range imo and look into having indirect light behind your screen & keep ambient light high, avoiding harsh contrast)
- Color gamut / color temperature (sRGB clamp if DCI P3 causes issues. Colder color temperature (+7000k) should be avoided, go for 5500k at day and <2700k at night)
- LCD artifacts (mostly prevalent in TN, can happen on VA & IPS, is a issue for some)
- Another possible culprit is a brightness dip caused by refresh logic (brightness variation every refresh cycle so 180hz = ~5.5ms in a sawtooth shape), which can occur on some transitions (colors). This happens on OLED as well as on LCD and some people have reported being able to discern this.
General tech-related tips I can give you:
- Switch to tested DC dimmed LCD displays (by verified reviewers), avoid OLED for now.
- Go for HDR400 displays to avoid FRC (but this certification is sadly not consistent)
- Avoid turning on strobing and VRR
- As for specific monitor recommendation, it's a tough choice.
1440p & 4k high refresh rate monitors have KSF phosphor issue, which has been linked to eyestrain by quite a few people (new type of backlight.
1080p high refresh rate panels and 1440p/4k @ 60hz panels should be safe however.
You gotta decide on whether resolution or refresh rate is worth it to you (office vs gaming)
Don't forget to look at higher PPI panels such as portable 16-17.3" monitors (basically refurbished laptop panels) which are 1440p or 4k in resolution (Innoview, Asus, Viewsonic produce some) or Retina iMac's, they're gorgeous for office work due to their sharpness.
- Avoid display exposure at night-time, if possible, for proper circadian rhythm (blue light is not good to look at)
- Avoid using glasses for computers (lens-induced eyestrain is a thing)
- Look into if light bulbs in your home are flickering, they're a very common culprit people disregard.
Another thing, non-tech related, I could advise you is to do some blood work (which I hope Chief won't mind)
People, especially in the tech industry, often forget this factor the most.
Red skin is usually a sign of some disbalance / issue in your body.
Enjoy the sun, it's healthy for your body.
I'd suggest going for supplements from a reputable brand such as LE, in particular VIt D3+K2, Mg, Vit C, Macuguard (saffron, lutein & zeaxanthin)
They could alleviate some concerns you might have.
As a end note:
Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. Never disregard the advice of a medical professional, or delay in seeking it because of something you have read online.
Hope this helps.
Re: Eye Strain cause Journey
Another thing to look into is FRC/temporal dithering. Dithering makes me nauseous, dizzy, flush red face, body feels warm, head pressure , dry eyes instantly, and list goes on. Takes weeks or months or two to recover sometimes. Irlens glasses can help mitigate some symptoms but it's not a fix for me. Some others have found it as a fix, we're all different.