iPhone XR Eye Strain on iPhoneXR?

[sddabrow]

Hello Everyone,

Starting a new thread because we believe this warrants a new poll. Many folks in this thread "https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/eye-strain-while-using-iphone-x.2085427/" are still having Eye Strain issues, even when switching to the iPhone XR.

So we are trying to decide what the issue is here. If there are still a substantial amount of eye strain / headache issues on the XR, it is not due to PWM. Perhaps it is due to FaceID or perhaps the lower resolution & reading of text?

Please do not vote, unless you have read the forum post above and have eye strain issues. We do not need the 'Tin-Foil' hat comments, as we understand that those of you that do not have the issue, do not believe it is a problem. If you do not have any eye strain with any device and feel like you NEED to vote, I put one called "No, you guys are crazy!", feel free to hit that one.

For those that have had the eye strain issues, this poll is for us to try and further understand the root cause.

 

[Deacon-Blues]

I just stopped in to say you guys are crazy.

 

[Newtons Apple]

It is just a plain LCD phone. If people’s eyes can not cope, it might be time to go,back to a dumb phone.

 

[sddabrow]

I just stopped in to say you guys are crazy.

We appreciate you and your correct voting selection!

 

[aldo82]

Interested in this thread as I personally am not sensitive to PWM but I am sensitive to iris scanning that Samsung use so I'm interested to see if anyone gets affected by faceid in a similar way

 

[ericg301]

Hello Everyone,

Starting a new thread because we believe this warrants a new poll. Many folks in this thread "https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/eye-strain-while-using-iphone-x.2085427/" are still having Eye Strain issues, even when switching to the iPhone XR.

So we are trying to decide what the issue is here. If there are still a substantial amount of eye strain / headache issues on the XR, it is not due to PWM. Perhaps it is due to FaceID or perhaps the lower resolution & reading of text?

Please do not vote, unless you have read the forum post above and have eye strain issues. We do not need the 'Tin-Foil' hat comments, as we understand that those of you that do not have the issue, do not believe it is a problem. If you do not have any eye strain with any device and feel like you NEED to vote, I put one called "No, you guys are crazy!", feel free to hit that one.

For those that have had the eye strain issues, this poll is for us to try and further understand the root cause.

is it possible that you're experiencing eye strain because you're experiencing shiny-new-toy syndrome and using your new phone a lot more than normal? honest question. posted without snark.

 

[204353]

The OLED eye strain issue was never massive for me (it was still significant), but I definitely prefer LCD overall and I’ve noticed that the Xʀ is a lot easier on my eyes.

I’m delighted with this phone for many reasons. I’d say it’s the “best” iPhone Apple have ever made, taking all factors into account (including value).

 

[Mackinjosh]

I'm getting eye strain but I believe its due to the fact that on the thinner phone the text is much smaller than I'm used to. Reading the web is much easier for me on an older 5.3 inch phone due to font size being bigger.

 

[dazz87]

face id or low resolution (aka blurry text)?

 

[AppleWes]

The OLED eye strain issue was never massive for me (it was still significant), but I definitely prefer LCD overall and I’ve noticed that the Xʀ is a lot easier on my eyes.

I’m delighted with this phone for many reasons. I’d say it’s the “best” iPhone Apple have ever made, taking all factors into account (including value).

100% agree... I didn't seem to have "major" headaches from OLED, but something about LCD feels much easier on my eyes. After reading a lot of text and full work day of use with my XR I can tell a pretty big difference compared to Xs MAX which I also tried.

 

[C DM]

ow resolution (aka blurry text)

Wouldn't that be the same for basically most iPhones prior to XR, like iPhone 8, 7, 6, etc.?

 

[msans]

I upgraded from my 6 to the XR and have had some eye strain on the XR that I didn't have with the 6. I haven't yet tried experimenting with the notch covered. I'll do that to rule out screen vs FaceID.

I've always been hypersensitive to bulbs flickering and bad screens....but this is the first Apple product I've had trouble with (various iPads, MacBook Pro, etc). I haven't tried an OLED phone, so this is the first I'm reading about PWM.

is it possible that you're experiencing eye strain because you're experiencing shiny-new-toy syndrome and using your new phone a lot more than normal? honest question. posted without snark.

Thats a decent point and I'm considering that as well...but I feel the strain almost right away.

 

[now i see it]

There's mounting reports that FaceID is bugging some people's eyes. Everyone thought it was soley from PWM, but now that the XR is flicker free and eyestrain continues on that phone but not on the older phones, there's little left to point a finger at except the face scant IR beams.

 

[austyn23]

No eye strain on the XR so far, yes on the X.

I don´t use face ID, I use pass code every 4 hs (if I could I leave it always unlocked, but the limit is 4 hours...)

 

[stafil]

I have been trying to find the technical details of the flood illuminator, but no luck so far.

All I could find is that it is constructed by STM specifically for Apple and it is basically a NIR VCSEL.
https://markets.businessinsider.com...l0x-the-vl6180x-the-apple-iphone-8-1020936391

Does anyone know if there are any more info available anywhere?

 

[5105973]

Interested in this thread as I personally am not sensitive to PWM but I am sensitive to iris scanning that Samsung use so I'm interested to see if anyone gets affected by faceid in a similar way

Yeah fellow Samsung iris scan sufferer here. I can’t tell anything yet. I’ll give myself a full week on this phone and take the poll then.

I am currently feeling some eye strain, which I don’t while on my 8 Plus, but I’m still experimenting with all different kinds of settings. And of course over using the phone to make sure everything else is in good working order.

Last time, it took several days for the pwm flicker on my XS Max to start inducing my worst migraine problems.

For what it’s worth my husband also got terrible eye pains from the Samsung iris scanner. But he’s been able to use the iPhone X and now the XS Max and Face ID with no eye problems. He and I are both due soon for eye exams so we will have more data about my husband’s eye health, then after a year of heavy Face ID use.

 

[CodeCrusher]

Does it feel like you are looking at the screen using a pair of glasses with the wrong prescription?

 

[i hate phones]

Does it feel like you are looking at the screen using a pair of glasses with the wrong prescription?

That's a good description, I don't have a Xr but I feel that way sometimes with the X and Xs Max. Depth perception feels slightly off. I don't get headaches anymore though. Just tired eyes, brain fog. not enough to stop using the phone.

 

[john g.]

Could not use the OLED X models for more than 5 minutes without discomfort.

I am still evaluating my Xr, but so far so good.

Spent 3 days using it with no pain.

I also enabled reduce motion and increase contrast to make things easier on my eyes.

 

[Mackinjosh]

Does it feel like you are looking at the screen using a pair of glasses with the wrong prescription?

I had that feeling this weekend using the XR.

 

[Newtons Apple]

Everyone is different. Varies from human to human.

 

[ThemePro]

My Galaxy S9 causes a lot more strain than any iPhone model

 

[5105973]

Does it feel like you are looking at the screen using a pair of glasses with the wrong prescription?

Not for me. My eyes just feel tired and gritty when I’m looking at the display on the Xr. I can switch to my 8 Plus and it’s better.

But I am having to experiment a bit with using the phone to find the optimum comfort. I did that a couple of years ago on the 7 Plus and 8 Plus displays. It complicates matters that with my 8 Plus I need to take my progressive lenses off. I’m starting to think with the Xr I need to leave them on and hold the phone further away from my eyes than I’m used to doing.

I’m both nearsighted (since my teens) and farsighted (since my late 40’s).

 

[sddabrow]

Interesting results thus far! As the OP, I have not actually received the XR yet. I had issues with the XS Max, it was a noticeable pressure behind the eyes. When I would press on the top of my eye, it would momentarily go away. Sent the phone back and a day later my eyes were back to normal. Never had glasses or contacts, so the only thing I can relate the pressure to was when you are really, really tired and driving for a long period of time, requiring you to keep your eyes open.. I tend to get pressure behind my eyes when that happens.

I went to Best Buy to check out the XR, to try out FaceID to see if that caused any issue... but of course I had to explain to the Apple Rep my issue, so I ended up looking at all 3 phones and doing the PWM slo-mo test. Noticed the strain came back ever so slightly for the 15 minutes I was there.. but was it FaceID or was it the PWM from XS/XS-Max.. unsure?

So as the OP, I have not yet voted, but saw a number of folks discussing and wanted to get a poll going. Will post my feedback when the XR arrives.

 

[yoricardo]

Hello Everyone,

Starting a new thread because we believe this warrants a new poll. Many folks in this thread "https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/eye-strain-while-using-iphone-x.2085427/" are still having Eye Strain issues, even when switching to the iPhone XR.

So we are trying to decide what the issue is here. If there are still a substantial amount of eye strain / headache issues on the XR, it is not due to PWM. Perhaps it is due to FaceID or perhaps the lower resolution & reading of text?

Please do not vote, unless you have read the forum post above and have eye strain issues. We do not need the 'Tin-Foil' hat comments, as we understand that those of you that do not have the issue, do not believe it is a problem. If you do not have any eye strain with any device and feel like you NEED to vote, I put one called "No, you guys are crazy!", feel free to hit that one.

For those that have had the eye strain issues, this poll is for us to try and further understand the root cause.

[doublepost=1540849273][/doublepost]Weirdly I'm finding eye strain on the XR when I had no problem with either the X or the XS.

I wear contact lenses and for each of the last 3 days my eyes are in agony by the afternoon.

Never had this issue before with the OLED screens.