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Can a monitor really cause eyestrain?

A

akm3

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Nov 15, 2007
2,252
279
I just bought a Samsung SyncMaster 2443bwx (24" 1920x1200) monitor. It is cheap and probably uses the worst panels.

Anyway, I am getting TERRIBLE eyestrain and headache looking at this thing. It is being run over DVI, and my eyes just can't focus on it, it looks a little blurry, etc. I've tried all the settings.

It's giving me bad headaches.

Can cheaper monitor types just be 'bad'? I've always had pretty high quality monitors in the past and this is the first time I've had to live with a lower quality monitor...but I didn't expect it to be intolerable.

Any advice? Am I dreaming it? Am I just sitting too close? (Causing eye strain from having to 'look around' over a much larger area than the 1440x900 15.4" display I'm used to)
 
I've found that a lot of LCD users have the brightness set to max, which IMO is too bright and causes a lot of eye strain because its like looking into a light bulb. Try turning that down to see if it helps.
 
CubeHacker said:
I've found that a lot of LCD users have the brightness set to max, which IMO is too bright and causes a lot of eye strain because its like looking into a light bulb. Try turning that down to see if it helps.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that suggestion, I did implement that and have lowered all my monitors brightness (there are two in my setup, with a laptop off to the right). Yes, they were all way too bright by default and I've lowered them both a lot.

I also moved it back another 10" or so, which seems to be helping, and shut off the flourescent light above my head darkening my cube (and then darkening the monitor even more). My eye strain is reduced, but that is after a ~30 minute break so I haven't had long enough to rack up more eyestrain
 
I have a Samsung 913N and found the display to be far too bright at first.

I don't know if these settings will help because it's a VGA, not DVI connection but once the signal has got to the screen, I don't suppose things will be much different.

Sharpness 56
Brightness 55
Contrast 70

The "Coarse" and "Fine" settings are key to getting it perfectly sharp but that's definitely going to be panel specific and personal preference

I also sit about 70cm away from the screen at the nearest. It is only 86 DPI compared with 92 DPI on your display so it should probably be just as comfortable once you've lowered the brightness.

It might help.

I find the way of seeing if your monitor is too bright is if the gradients in iTunes are washed out and you can't make out the alternate faint blue lines when viewing play lists
 
I think it just takes some time to get adjusted to the new monitor.

I don't know about you, but I moved up to a 24" dell 2408wfp from a dell 19" and it caused a lot of eye strain and headaches. I turned down the brightness and calibrated the monitor but still had some headaches. After about a week of use headaches are gone and eye strain is no problem. I also sit further back from my desk now compared to when I had the 19"
 
Yeah staring at a back-lit display causes eye strain and fatigue.

Everyone is different though. But I know I get quite tired of reading on monitors for long periods of time especially the older I get. I'd rather read text on a newspaper or on those E-Ink screens.
 
it really depends on how strong your eyes are. if you have been on computers all the time your eyes usually gain strength.

but when i worked a deskjob filling in as a male secretary to help out a friend - my eyes were KILLING ME. plus it was so boring to sit around all day.

monitors can DEFINITELY cause eyestrain
 
CRTs are fine for me, and apparently the new LED backlit LCDs are fine for me. Normal CCFL LCDs cause me intense eyestrain to the point where I cannot use them. I have no idea why but I tried it twice, and both times I was careful to adjust the backlight levels and control my ambient lighting properly.
 
akm3 said:
I just bought a Samsung SyncMaster 2443bwx (24" 1920x1200) monitor. It is cheap and probably uses the worst panels.

Anyway, I am getting TERRIBLE eyestrain and headache looking at this thing. It is being run over DVI, and my eyes just can't focus on it, it looks a little blurry, etc. I've tried all the settings.

It's giving me bad headaches.

Can cheaper monitor types just be 'bad'? I've always had pretty high quality monitors in the past and this is the first time I've had to live with a lower quality monitor...but I didn't expect it to be intolerable.

Any advice? Am I dreaming it? Am I just sitting too close? (Causing eye strain from having to 'look around' over a much larger area than the 1440x900 15.4" display I'm used to)
Click to expand...
As mentioned, back lighting, and even the ambient lighting can have a negative effect.

But distance, can as well. Try sitting further back. I had the same problem when moving from a 19" to a 24".

One item that might be a good thing to have around, would be a colorimeter to calibrate the monitor. Whether a cheap model, to the most expensive, they can really help. :)

As we only have one pair of eyes, and they have to last a lifetime, well worth the $200USD or so. ;)
 
I don't think it's the monitor anymore - I think I am having migraines.

Yuck.

Looking at the monitor certainly makes it worse!!!
 
akm3 said:
I don't think it's the monitor anymore - I think I am having migraines.

Yuck.

Looking at the monitor certainly makes it worse!!!
Click to expand...
You may only need to get your eyes checked, as they can cause quite a headache. A simple set of prescription glasses may be all you need. :eek: :p

I had similar problems before, and had to go this route. It helped immensely. ;) Not until I got a 24" did I have problems again, and that was because I was too close. (Used a smaller monitor previously, and didn't make any distance adjustments. Rather foolish on my part).

It's an idea anyway. ;)
 
The mind receives messages from sensory cells. The mind can focus on sensory signals from the eye. Eyes that have become strained do not always deliver a clear signal. Inattention to eyestrain symptoms deprives the brain of meaningful signals.
 
I got the most eyestrain from my Samsung 24", I sold it for a Dell two weeks later (not cause of eyestrain reason). The Dell had better contrast so I didnt have to pump the brightness up as much to get good whites. The most comfortable screen I work with is still my Macbook Pro 15" Santa Rosa
 
From experience, looking at the screen from the wrong angle will cause some strains ... causing neck and head pains that can be taken for severe eye strain.

---

If your prescription doesn't have a sweet spot for focus at the distance you are looking this will indeed cause eyestrain ... this is due to you eyes trying to focus at the wrong distance for your prescription, mostly a problem for people when they have distance focus problems and need bi-/tri- focals.

If you are sensitive to prescription issues, something slightly off in the wrong eye will cause eye strain.

If you you are prone to the above problems a cheaper monitor will bring the problems out much quicker.
 
I use a Samsung Syncmaster T220 at work and it's horrible for this. I have the brightness settings at the absolute minimum 0 (sounds crazy!) and it mitigates the problem a lot. If I have the brightness any higher I end up getting chronic headaches. If someone else uses my desk and changes it I often don't notice for a while and then wonder why I'm in pain. Photosensitivity has always been a minor nuisance for me but I was still amazed a monitor could be such a powerful trigger.

At home I use Apple and Dell monitors (both actually made by LG I think in my cases). I also turn the brightness down on these but the Samsung was by far the worst. I never get eye troubles at home, thankfully.
 
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