does lcd screen harm eyes quotation

47% of U.S. consumers admitted to being unable to last a day without their mobile devices in a 2014 study done by the Bank of America, demonstrating the increasing prevalence of mobile devices. Mobile devices use LCD screens which emit blue light and thus negatively affects not only vision but also overall health. Continual extended screen time mainly can impact your eyes in two major ways.

Digital Eye StrainWhen we look at a screen, our blink rate drops significantly, thus causing digital eye strain. Signs of digital eye strain include slightly blurry vision after using LCD screens for prolonged periods, headaches, dry or tired eyes.

Though digital eye strain is temporary, if left unaddressed, it can turn into a chronic problem.The easiest way to address digital eye strain is to blink more as blinking helps to keep eyes lubricated. Alternatively, try using the “20-20-20 Rule”. Every 20 minutes, stare at something at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This exercise engages your distance vision and allows the eyes to rest.

Blue Light ExposureBlue light is the highest energy wavelength of visible light. This energy is able to penetrate all the way to the back of the eye, through the eyes’ natural filters. The rapidly increasing amount of blue light exposure that we get each day through digital device use is causing permanent damage to our eyes. The effects of blue light are cumulative and can lead to eye diseases like macular degeneration.

Children are especially at risk due to their developing eyes. Protective pigments which help filter out some of this harmful blue light are not yet present. The risk is worsened further due to their increased exposure to LCD screens.

Try minimising usage of LCD screens by reading print media or using E Ink displays instead. The InkCase, for example, allows users to read for prolonged periods with minimal power consumption by adding a secondary E Ink screen on the back of your phone.

I’m here to quell your health concerns: staring at a screen doesn’t damage your eyes. They won’t make you go blind, and your doctor isn’t going to worry about your health if he or she hears that you’re spending a lot of time in front of them. However, you might feel uncomfortable after a long time in front of a backlight, and you might even experience the symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome, a fancy name for the eye strain and discomfort monitors can cause.

You could try adjusting your entire monitor and desk setup to remedy your pain, or you could use moistening eyedrops. The 20-20-20 rule also exists, which dictates that after 20 minutes of screen staring, you should stare at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Take a break. Those blue light-filtering glasses you bought could help, too, but doctors aren’t totally convinced. Science just doesn’t back up these glasses’ claims. That said, you could still wear them and hope for the best. They aren’t going to hurt you.

“I’ve changed to a high-end smartphone with an OLED screen, but my eyes feel uncomfortable.” More and more netizens have this problem. Do OLED screens really hurt our eyes? Recently, a reporter investigated this phenomenon.

“I would never have thought that my eyes were becoming uncomfortable after using a new mobile phone for a few days.” Recently, a netizen reported this issue.

According to the reporter’s investigation, quite a few users have such questions. There are nearly 400,000 related links in Google search for “Eyes hurt by OLED screens“. Many related posts have resonated with netizens because they also had this symptom.

In the past two years, OLED screen smartphones have become the mainstream, and major smartphone manufacturers in the market are applying OLED screens in their flagship models one after another.

The problem is, do OLED screens really hurt our eyes? The reason why you feel uncomfortable when using mobile phones with OLED screens is that they flicker.

LCD screen usually uses LCD backlight to realize screen luminescence, the flickering frequency of which can reach several kilohertz (Hz) that flickering will basically not occur. The pixels for OLED screens are self-luminous, the low power of which has limited its flickering frequency. At present, the flickering frequency of the PWM dimming of OLED screens on many mobile phones is about 215Hz-250Hz.

In the eyes of communication industry professionals, this value is not high. But even the medical circle has not given a clear answer to this question, which is a great controversy in the industry.

Jie Chuanhong is the director of the ophthalmology department of the Eye Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. He said in an interview that whether you watch the mobile phone screen, computer screen, or iPad screen for a long time, it is easy to cause visual fatigue, which should not be directly related to the screen.

“There is no direct relationship between OLED screen and eye harm.” Communication industry professionals also said that human eyes are almost imperceptible to the flickering of OLED screens. “Visual fatigue may be caused by staring at the screen for too long.”

Some experts claim that both LCD and OLED screens can harm human eyes because they will emit blue light harmful to the eyes, which is inevitable. However, OLED has a way to avoid this problem, enabling the eye-protection mode (similar to PWM dimming) and changing the color tone of the screen to yellowish.

Many netizens also suggested that when using smartphones with OLED screens, we should increase the brightness as much as possible because the lower the brightness, the more harmful it will be to our eyes. When the brightness of the screen is reduced, the screen of the smartphone will further reduce the flickering frequency.

Some ophthalmologists suggest that “human eyes have different perceptions of OLED flickering, and some people are more sensitive. Sensitive users had better use smartphones with LCD screens.” There has not been a unified medical statement about this conclusion.

Some netizens even made a comparison experiment: you can obviously feel that the screen of P30 Pro is not as good as that of Mate20 Pro. This is easy to understand. Different mobile phones may use different screens, and manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, and BOE have different technologies and product quality.

Some experimental results have shown that screen size is not the main factor influencing visual fatigue but the material and physical properties of different electronic screens.

Even for the same mobile phone, whether the screen is good or not depends on “luck”. Because different brands of OLED screens may be used in the same mobile phone model, in many cases, the mobile phone manufacturer will not specify this, nor does it list the screen provider in detail in the user manual.

For example, Mate20 pro screen suppliers include BOE and LG, and some of their products have experienced “green screen” events after being released on the market. According to media reports, all the mobile phones with green screen problems are those with LG screens. That is to say, the screens in the same mobile phone model may be different for the same price. Whether the mobile phone is good or not depends on luck.

This is almost a common problem in the industry. Initially, both the iPhone XS and XS MAX were equipped with Samsung’s OLED screens. But then Apple listed LG as its second iPhone XS screen supplier. In other words, LG screens may be used in the subsequent batches of iPhone XS and XS MAX. Whether consumers buy LG screens or Samsung screens depends on luck.

The color of OELD screens is more vivid, fuller, and realistic. High-end smartphones have been equipped with OLED screens, which have become the mainstream; LCD screens have been used for low-end smartphones, which are no longer the preferred choice.

Why did this happen? “Terminal products such as the ones with fingerprints under the screen and ultra-thin products can only be realized by using OLED screens.” It has become a common recognition in the industry.

Now there is good news BOE suddenly announced that it has successfully developed fingerprint technology under LCD screen, which will be mass-produced by the end of this year.

It is unrealistic for the mobile phone industry to return to LCD screens from OLED screens, and even some people think it means the degeneration of technology. From the perspective of eye health alone, LCD screens will also emit blue light harmful to human eyes. If we really want to protect our eyes, we must reduce the time consumed by smartphones.

After working on a computer or browsing on your phone for too long, do your eyes become tired, dry, or strained? Then you’ve experienced what so many others have: eye strain. The past year has pushed many people to work or take classes from home, which leads to increased hours of screen time. Learning how to protect your eyes from computer screens can prevent you from feeling the discomfort of digital eye strain.

Eye strain is a condition that is commonly associated with driving long distances or staring at computer screens and other digital devices. It usually occurs when your eyes get tired from intense use, and it will usually subside on its own. For the most part, a digital eye strain is more annoying than painful. However, in some cases, eye strain can be a sign of an underlying eye condition that may require treatment.

In the digital age, technology has helped us accomplish more. But after hours of looking at screens, your eyes may become watery, dry, sore, or itchy. That’s because the light, specifically blue light, emitted off your computer or phone’s screen can put a strain on your eyes. Some long-term studies have shown that it can damage your retinal cells, which may lead to age-related macular degeneration. Until more research is conducted, most experts don’t believe that screens cause permanent damage to your vision. Digital eye strain headaches are a common symptom of eye strains from excessive screen time.

Do you feel some discomfort in your eyes after a long day of looking at your digital devices? If so, then you’re probably looking for a way to reduce digital eye strain symptoms. Here are some tips on how to protect eyes from computer and phone screens.

One of the most practical ways to protect eyes from computer screens is the 20/20/20 rule. It works like this, for every 20 minutes you spend staring at a screen, you must look at something at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds straight. This provides your eyes with a much-needed break. Feel free to adjust the amount of time you look away from a screen—the longer, the better.

Whether you are working from home or at the office, make sure your environment is appropriately lit. Less light in your room is actually better for your eyes. To ensure your work environment isn’t too bright, close curtains and use lower voltage bulbs.

When possible, using an anti-glare matte screen can help reduce the effect glare can have on your eyes. Glare from your computer or phone’s screen stops your eyes from making adjustments that they need for you to focus. If you wear glasses, make sure your lenses have an anti-reflective coating.

The typical screens you deal with today offer refresh rates of 75Hz or more. The higher the better. Furthermore, screens with higher resolutions appear more lifelike. When you can’t see the pixels, your eyes don’t work as hard to make sense of the images in front of you.

One of the best ways to treat your eye strain problem is with artificial tears. As an effective way of keeping your eyes lubricated, artificial tears can be bought over the counter. Some artificial tears come with preservatives and some without, so you may need to try a few before finding the one best for you.

If you are suffering eye strain and are not finding relief from the above solutions, it may be time to see your eye doctor. As mentioned before, a regular eye exam can help you get ahead of any underlying conditions that are affecting your eyes. It can also be an opportunity for you to ask how to protect your eyes from computer screens. In the case that you do have an underlying eye condition, and want to see if you are a candidate for LASIK you shouldschedule a free consultation. You can trust that our doctors will help find the best solution for your eyes.

If a growing body of scientific evidence is to be believed, the LCD screen may be one your health"s worst enemies, capable of causing eye strain, headaches, and sleepless nights.

If you think about it, this makes perfect sense. Through the vast majority of human existence, our species wasn"t staring at LCD screens for hours on end. In a nutshell, our bodies and brains simply weren"t built to handle it. The problem: Many researchers now believe that when you stare at a bright screen, it effectively tricks your body into thinking it"s daytime, making it more difficult to sleep, and resulting in a host of other problems. To make matters worse: Pretty much all of us are regularly looking at their phones, tablets, and computers in bed, when we should be preparing to hunker down for the night.

One company that"s trying to do something about this issue: Gunnar Optiks, makers of so-called "computer eyewear" that"s designed to mitigate the effects of staring at a screen. When Gunnar first launched a few years back, I was a skeptic of their claims. But in the years since, I"ve become more interested in the topic, spoken to more scientists, and now genuinely feel that they are onto something. To delve deep into the science, I spoke with Gunnar Optiks CTO and co-founder Joe Croft about the science of screens, and what his company is doing about them—short of making you give up all your gadgets for good. (Warning, technical talk ahead!)

There is a lot of new research about the effects of LCD lights on melatonin production and its effects on sleep. A lot of people also use computers, tablets, and phones at night or even in bed. Do you view this as a greater offender to health than staring at a computer during the day?

Why focus efforts on glasses? Do you see a time in which companies such as yours would expand into building filters into computer screens that would accomplish the same end result, but perhaps be more adjustable/tunable depending on your particular needs?Glasses are the only method that serves as a complete solution to Computer Vision Syndrome. A computer screen filter would help with a few issues, but not all. The main issues are the following.

2. Near Point Stress Syndrome. Eye muscles have to stay in a continual state of flexion to focus on computer screens. Glasses can relieve the eye strain by taking some of the focusing load.

3. Quality of Light. Screen filters can help here, but glasses are more effective because they work for not only screen light, but for overhead office lighting as well. Overhead flourescent lights are notorious for creating eye strain. High in HEV, very spiky in terms of spectral transmission. The furthest thing from natural full spectrum light that our visual system is designed to see.

4. Glare/Visual Noise. Screen protectors can help here as well. With proper computer eyewear, however you can eliminate reflections that plague many prescription eyewear wearers. They see the reflection off their cornea on the back side of their glasses. Gunnar eyewear specifically targets all types of glare and reflections.

Have there been any challenges in getting the medical community to accept computer glasses as a category?Within the optical community it has been easy. Eye doctors understand all the principles well and it doesn"t take much explaining. Why they don"t like is the over the counter approach. They much prefer to participate in our custom prescription program.

If you want to show these things help one’s health, how do you test that? If you’re seeing noticeable improvements, how long does it usually take for them to show in users?The first step is to establish a baseline. In our study from 2009 we had all the test subjects (over 100) undergo a CVS (Computer Vision Syndrome) symptom evaluation. This became the baseline for whether we saw an increase, decrease, or no-change with the use of Gunnars. After the multi-week study they underwent the same CVS symptom evaluation and for each symptom (ie headache, dry eye, external eyestrain, internal eyestrain, etc etc) we measured the difference. The results were overwhelmingly positive. Our current study is looking at the increases in productivity due to wearing Gunnars. Most wearers notice a difference right when the put them on, but after a multiweek trial, they are hooked.

Since LCD screens likely suppress melatonin, and keep you awake, would it make sense that in situations when you want to stay more alert, that you’d actually want unfiltered exposure to LCD lights?Sure. Same way that taking a No-Doz every once in a while can help you out. Take enough No-Doz on a continual basis and you"re sure to have problems, though! Seriously, though, it"s good to see that there are positive effects of photo therapy. Especially for people in northern geographical locations, it can be very beneficial. The trick is using it in the proper manner and syncing it to your circadian rhythms.

Some research suggests that the melatonin-suppressing effects of LCD light are somewhat specific to blue (and white light lights that contain blue wavelengths), and are not caused by red or orange lights. Do your glasses specifically focus on these offending wavelengths? Any info on how they filter for them?Yes. We have 35% transmission at 450 nm (blue light) and close to 97% once you get into the warmer part of the spectrum.

Protecting eyes from computer screens and smartphones is more important than ever, but effectively tackling the problem is more about prevention than treatment.

Simple preventative measures help protect eyes from computer screens and smartphones, and we’re going to take a look at a few of those measures in this article.

While not everyone spends every day looking at a computer screen, most people do use smartphones. Experts suggest that DES occurs in around 50% of computer users.

There is no evidence that strain makes your eyesight worse in the long run, but it does cause extreme discomfort and makes getting through a work day difficult.

How exactly does the screen affect your eyes? There are several signs to look out for, they can vary slightly depending on whether you use a computer or a smartphone. Let’s take a look at some of those complaints, and discuss how you can avoid them. The American Optometric Association recognizes the most common symptoms of eye strain are:Headaches

When looking at a high resolution screen, we subconsciously blink less, other pain responses can also decrease causing the body to not signal that something is wrong. This is particularly common with computer use and is called “computer vision syndrome”. Over long periods of time, this can be harmful to your overal eye health. When working on a computer all day, these symptoms can arise after using a screen for prolonged periods of time.

Your eyes aren’t designed to stare all day at something directly in front of you. With the 20/20/20 rule, you give your eyes a much-needed break during long work days.

If you look at the screen for 20 minutes, you must look at something at least 20 feet away from you for 20 seconds. The longer you look away from your screen, though, the better!

It may sound counterintuitive, but less light in your room is actually better for your eyes when you’re working on a computer. Offices shouldn’t be too bright, so when possible, close your curtains and reduce your use of fluorescent lighting.

Use an anti-glare matte screen where possible (rather than glass-covered LCDs). If you’re a glasses wearer, make sure your lenses have an anti-reflective coating.

Most people don’t have to use CRT screens any more. Those are the old computer screens with low refresh rates that created a noticeable flicker that made your eyes feel uncomfortable.

Today, screens typically offer refresh rates of 75Hz or more. The higher the better. Furthermore, screens with higher resolutions appear more lifelike. When you can’t see the pixels, your eyes don’t work as hard to make sense of the images in front of you.

Blue light has a short wave-length and is known for causing damage to the eye. Reduce blue light by using specialist glasses or reduce the color temperature of your screen. It’s ideal for long-term use.

Just like computers, mobile phone screens can present an opportunity for eye strain. The fact we use our phones in place of pen and paper for virtually everything we do, means it’s something we should talk about. How do phones affect your eyes?

However, we often use our phones differently from our computers. With computer usage, we may spend several hours looking at the screen. We use smartphones for shorter periods of time throughout the day, but can total hours of usage by the end of the day.

Although this is less stressful for the eyes, if you’re straining when you look at your cellphone screen, it can mean you are placing stress on your eyes resulting in mobile phone eye strain. This can negatively affect your eye health over the long term.

It’s easy to forget that your screen can be customized, because it looks fine straight out of the box! Everyone’s eyes are different, however, and all smartphones allow you to change contrast, brightness, and text settings.

You should be able to see everything on your phone screen from between 16 and 18 inches away. Don’t hold your phone too close, but if you find yourself bringing the phone closer, consider zooming in on your screen instead.

Modern Android and Apple smartphones offer night mode features that make it easy to automatically reduce strain on your eyes at night.Turn the feature on, and your phone will automatically adjust screen settings depending on the time of day.

Smartphone screens are glossy, but matte screen protectors give you that old-screen LCD finish. They protect your screen and they reduce glare from ambient lights or sunshine. They’re inexpensive, too!

For all types of eyestrain, be it caused by computers or mobile devices, artificial tears can be an effective tool in keeping the eyes comfortably lubricated. There are many types of lubricating eye drops on the market — both with and without preservatives — that can be purchased over the counter. You may need to try several before you find the one you like best.

Adjusting the brightness on your phone is important, your phone may even do it automatically. The ambient light sensor on your device will allow the light to shift depending on how much light is already available. As mentioned earlier, the night mode feature reduces the impact blue light has on your eyes.

Dear EarthTalk: Years ago I read that children should be kept at least two feet from the television because of harmful electronic emissions. Is this still relevant? Is there a difference regarding this between older and new flat-screen models?

But even though electronic emissions aren’t an issue with TVs made any time after 1968 (including today’s LCD and plasma flat screens), what about causing harm to one’s vision? Dr. Lee Duffner of the American Academy of Ophthalmology isn’t concerned, maintaining that watching television screens—close-up or otherwise—“won’t cause any physical damage to your eyes.” He adds, however, that a lot of TV watching can surely cause eye strain and fatigue, particularly for those sitting very close and/or watching from odd angles. But there is an easy cure for eye strain and fatigue: turning off the TV and getting some rest. With a good night’s sleep, tired eyes should quickly return to normal.

Debra Ronca, a contributor to the How Stuff Works website, argues that some parents might be putting the cart before the horse in blaming close-up TV watching for their child’s vision issues. “Sitting close to the television may not make a child nearsighted, but a child may sit close to the television because he or she is nearsighted and undiagnosed,” she reports. “If your child habitually sits too close to the television for comfort, get his or her eyes tested.”

Of course, excessive TV viewing by kids can cause health problems indirectly. According to the Nemours Foundation’s KidsHealth website, children who consistently watch TV more than four hours a day are more likely to be overweight, which in and of itself can bring about health problems later. Also, kids who watch a lot of TV are more likely to copy bad behavior they see on-screen and tend to “fear that the world is scary and that something bad will happen to them.” Nemours also finds that TV characters often depict risky behaviors (like smoking and drinking) and also tend to reinforce gender-role and racial stereotypes.

While it may be inevitable that your kids will watch TV, the key, experts say, is moderation. Limit kids’ exposure to screens of any kind, and monitor what they are allowed to watch. As KidsHealth points out, parents should teach their kids that the TV is “for occasional entertainment, not for constant escapism.”

A study supported by the NIH found that some pre-teens who clocked over seven hours a day on screens had differences in parts of their brains compared to kids who spent less time on screens.

It"s 11:00 pm. You should be asleep. But you"re watching a video on your phone. Tomorrow, you"ll wake up and go to work, where you"ll stare at your computer for 8 hours. When you get home, you"ll watch a movie on TV. And if you"re anything like the average American adult, you spend more than 7 hours a day staring at digital screens.

So, what"s all this screen time actually doing to your body and brain? Humans didn"t evolve to stare at bright screens all day. And our eyes are suffering the consequences. An estimated 58% of people who work on computers experience what"s called Computer Vision Syndrome.

And long-term, this amount of screen time could be damaging our vision permanently. Since 1971, cases of nearsightedness in the US have nearly doubled, which some scientists partly link to increased screen time. And in Asia today, nearly 90 percent of teens and adults are nearsighted. But it"s not just the brightness of our screens that affects us.

It"s also the color. Screens emit a mix of red, green, and blue light — similar colors in sunlight. And over millennia, it was blue wavelengths in sunlight that helped us keep our circadian rhythms in sync with our environment. But since our circadian rhythms are more sensitive to blue light than any others,

A problem occurs when we use our screens at night. Typically, when the sun sets, we produce the hormone melatonin. This hormone regulates our circadian rhythms, helping us feel tired and fall asleep. But many studies have found that blue light from screens can disrupt this process.

But perhaps the most concerning changes we"re starting to see from all this screen time is in kids" brains. An ongoing study supported by the NIH has found that some pre-teens who clocked over 7 hours a day on screens had differences in a part of their brains called the cortex. That"s the region responsible for processing information from our five senses.

Usually, our cortex gets thinner as we mature. But these kids had thinner cortices earlier than other kids who spent less time on screens. Scientists aren"t sure what this could mean for how the kids learn and behave later in life. But the same data also showed that kids who spent more than 2 hours a day on screens scored lower on thinking and language skill tests.

To be clear, the NIH data can"t confirm if more time spent staring at screens causes these effects. But they"ll have a better idea of any links as they continue to follow and study these kids over the next decade. It"s no doubt that screens have changed the way we communicate. But only time will tell what other changes are on the horizon for humankind.

You may have seen news stories about possible vision damage from the blue light emitted by computers, smartphones, tablets, televisions, and other electronic devices. Too much screen time is a common pitfall in this digital age, and it can cause eyestrain in some people. But the chances of permanent vision damage are low.

About 80% of American adults say they use digital devices for more than two hours per day, and nearly 67% use two or more devices at the same time. This level of exposure to digital technology for work, school, entertainment, and everyday activities has created a set of symptoms known as digital eyestrain (DES). Nearly 60%of Americans experience some symptoms of DES.

This has led to health concerns about the potential for blue light to harm eye tissue. Because blue light has a short wavelength, it produces a high amount of energy. Dozens of studies have investigated whether exposure to blue light over time could cause serious, long-term eye damage.

Early laboratory research using animal models suggested that excessive blue light exposure could damage some sensitive cells in the retina, the layer of nerve cells behind the eyeball. It can lead to eyestrain and focusing problems, but no research has conclusively shown that blue light causes long-term harm, eye disease, or retina damage.

Still, too much time with digital devices can cause problems. Digital eyestrain often leads to dry eyes and puts an extra burden on the muscles that help the eye focus. Also, the eyes do not blink as frequently when looking at digital devices, which causes faster disruption and evaporation of the film of tears that protects the surface of the eye. That can cause minor eye irritations such as burning and stinging.

Eye soreness, ranging from stabbing pain to a gritty/sandy feeling, can often be caused by staring at bright screens for too long. Phones and computers deservedly

When it comes down to it, staring at your TV in a dark room is like someone shining a flashlight in your eyes. You want to blink and turn away, but naturally you can"t. The whole point of that bright light is to stare at it! It"s also perfectly normal to want to watch TV in a dark room. Cinemas are dark for several reasons, but related to this topic it"s for better immersion into the movie. The same goes for the TV at home.

However, if you"re watching TV in a dark room, which we highly recommend for any high-quality video experience, those sizzling highlights may seem too bright, causing your eyes to become sore or scratchy. If you"ve ever stared at your phone in a dark room, you"ve probably experienced this.

Someone shining a flashlight in your eyes at night is annoying, right? But standing in a room with the lights on isn"t. Your eye adjusts to the average amount of light hitting your retina. A dark room with a bright TV is still, on average, dark. So your iris is wide open. But the parts of your retina getting hit by the light from the TV are overwhelmed. They get fatigued, causing the tired, scratchy feeling.

The color is important because whatever color the lights are, that color is "subtracted" by your brain from the color you see on screen. So if you have a blue light behind the TV, the TV will look red. The right color for bias lights is a neutral white; as close to the D6500 color temperature standard as possible.

TVs have long been far brighter than necessary for the average room. HDR does potentially make the problem worse, since they are, on the whole, much brighter than older, "SDR" TVs. If you experience eyestrain with HDR or other material, hopefully our fixes can help. If they don"t, and you"ve tried similar fixes with your other bright devices, it"s worth talking to an eye doctor to make sure there"s nothing else going on.

As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000-mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.

Many people use digital screens in their lives today. Whether it’s sitting at a computer for hours at a time at work or using a tablet at home to play games, people are using digital screens more than ever.

It’s believed that the average working adult in America spends seven hours a day on the computer, whether they’re at home or in the office. With that much time spent looking at digital screens, it’s no wonder people worry about their sight.

A common question people have is if their eyesight will be damaged by using computer screens so often. The truth is that for most people, the impact on their sight will be temporary. However, some may see a permanent change in their vision.

Computers also put off blue light. Blue light is not easily blocked by the eyes, which means that the light reaches the retina instead of refracting back outward. Blue light is a known contributor to digital eye strain and can potentially harm the eyes.

Remember that your computer or device causes the eyes to work harder than usual, as a result, you may develop visual symptoms if you don’t take breaks regularly.

Reading on a small screen can strain eye muscles, causing blurry vision and headaches. A rule to remember: every 20 minutes, look up at something about 20 feet away, for about 20 seconds.

Blink! While staring at a screen we blink half as often as is the norm, which is typically about 15 times a minute. That causes your eyes to become dry and irritated.

Adjust your display settings. Glaucoma patients can experience a decline in contrast sensitivity. Black text on a white background is best, though other dark on light combinations can work. Adjust text sizes on your computer screen and smartphone. For example, on an iPhone, open the Settings menu, choose General, then Accessibility, then Large Text. If you don’t know how to adjust the view on your device, check the manufacturer’s website.

Glaucoma patients are often sensitive to glare. Try to reduce reflections from windows and lights. Frequently dust digital screens. Talk to your doctor about a no-glare coating on glasses to soften the glare from harsh office lighting.

If your older desktop monitor is causing eye strain, replace it with a flat-panel LCD screen that is easier on the eyes. Select a screen with the highest resolution possible.

Avoid staring at a bright screen in dark lighting conditions, such as checking messages on your cell phone in your bedroom. Heavy smartphone users should also be careful to avoid too much reading in bed at night, as the blue light emitted from mobile devices can suppress the production of melatonin, which helps regulate sleep.

The average American adult spends 11 hours per day looking at a screen. Since the start of the COVID pandemic, this number has ballooned to 13+ hours. Smart phone use and TV watching certainly contribute to this number, but the top culprit for many is the computer monitor.

Because most of us spend hours per day at our computer straining our eyes, the “eye-saving” messages really appeal to us. Almost everyone has experienced dry eyes, strained eyes, blurred vision, or headaches that were caused by excessive screen time. Digital eye strain (“computer vision syndrome”) affects over half of the population.

In truth, most of these “eye-care” and “eyesafe” monitors rely on the two features discussed above — blue light filtering and flicker-free displays. So let’s look into each of these technologies.

First, marketers begin with the statement that blue light is dangerous to our eyes, skin, and sleep patterns. This is factually correct, but somewhat intellectually dishonest.

“It’s true that blue and ultraviolet light are dangerous to eyes, but only at very high intensities.  The amount of blue light produced by a computer monitor or phone screen is so dim that it has no effect on the health of the eyes.  The blue and UV light from the sun is very dangerous and is a documented source of skin cancer, cataracts and retina disease to millions.  This is why doctors recommend sunglasses and sunscreen to people spending significant time outdoors.”– Dr. Norman Shedlo

To summarize: Exposure to high intensity blue light can be harmful. However, a computer monitor only causes a low exposure. It may be helpful to minimize blue light emission from your computer monitor. But this isn’t a technologically advanced feature that justifies your spending extra money.

If you have ever noticed the flicker of a monitor or other display, you will agree that the flicker can be aggravating and unpleasant to look at. But the important question here is whether or not a “flicker-free” monitor does anything to protect your eyes.

Again, we turn to the experts. Dr. Shedlo tells us that “flicker rates between 70-90 Hz will present a screen that does not appear to ‘flicker’. The flickering itself is not dangerous to your eyes, it’s just annoying. Flicker rates above this are outside the range of human perception and make absolutely no difference. These rates have no effect on eye strain.”

Most of the eye strain that occurs happens because of dry eye and decreased blink. So, while special flicker free monitors and monitor lamps seem fancy and may provide a better user experience, from a medical point of view they do not ‘save the eyes.’– Dr. Yuna Rapoport

Even though operating systems (like Windows 10) and third-party applications allow users to reduce blue lighting on their computer monitor, most of us don’t use these features. Therefore, purchasing an “eye care” monitor that automatically includes blue light reduction/filtering may provide some benefit. At worst, this reduction of blue light is neutral, and at best it may benefit our eyes to some degree.

Next, a flicker-free screen may be more comfortable to your eyes. We have established that the flickering of a computer screen isn’t harmful to your eyes. But this flickering can absolutely be irritating to the user. Needless to say, keeping your vision comfortable and aggravation-free during hours of daily screen time is preferrable to an uncomfortable experience.

So, the fact that a number of computer monitors now have this “eyesafe” certification is undoubtedly a positive thing. However, this certification must be taken with a grain of salt.

The TÜV Rheinland stamp of approval only refers to the display’s ability to block, filter, or otherwise minimize the emission of blue light of a certain wavelength. It does not speak to the efficacy of the monitor, or its ability to actually “save” your eyes or reduce eye strain. Instead, it just shows that the particular monitor “passes the test” in terms of limiting blue light.

The concept behind monitor lamps, monitor light bars, and monitor bias lighting is relatively simple. These products minimize the lighting contrast between your monitor and the surrounding area. A bright display in a dark room causes strain on the eyes, so it is better to have some ambient lighting near your computer.

So, these products probably help minimize eye strain when compared to using no monitor lighting at all. But that doesn’t mean that it makes sense to spend $100+ for a specialty monitor light bar that claims it will save your eyes. Ultimately, these monitor lamps and light bars are simply, as Dr. Shedlo puts it, “smaller lamps placed on the monitor to provide lighting to certain places on the desk. Their function can be substituted for by any suitable desk lamp pointed in the right direction.”

Although we have been critical of “eye saving” monitors, increased screen time is a legitimate concern in our society. Excessive electronics use, combined with a lack of physical activity, contributes to numerous developmental, psychological, and physical harms for users.

A 2020 report (which was sponsored by eyesafe, a developer of displays and filters for Dell, Acer, and Lenovo, we should note…) found that 94% of eye care providers are either “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” about the impact of screen time on patients’ eyes.

Take breaks periodically. Some experts recommend the 20/20/20 rule, which states that after 20 minutes of screen time, you should look at an object that is 20+ feet away for 20+ seconds. This gives your eyes some time to relax.

Eye Care monitors are quickly gaining market share due to their ability to reduce blue light and flicker rate. Because most of us spend hours per day staring at screens, “eye saving” technology sounds like it would be worth every penny.

Some of the new “eye-care” and “eyesaver” monitors are legitimate, high-quality monitors that are worthy of your consideration. But don’t spend a lot of extra money on these products in the hopes of minimizing your eye strain or “saving” your eyes.

We still don’t have a “fix” for the eye strain caused by digital screens. But you can minimize the harms by taking periodic breaks, wearing correct prescription lenses, and adjusting the display brightness and ambient lighting to comfortable levels.