iPhone XR Eye Strain on iPhoneXR?

[surfsofa]

Very interested to find this thread. I'd like to highlight a possibly related issue I've noticed on the XR. With certain apps (Gmail and Hangouts are a couple of common examples), I find the text and the keyboard slightly blurry. If I switch to an Apple app, like Messages, everything is nice and sharp. If you have Gmail or Hangouts installed, please compare the sharpness of the keyboard on those apps with that on Messages and report back here. It's only a slight difference and you may not notice, although I definitely and clearly do. I've also seen it on more than one XR. It may be enough to strain some people's eyes.

I compared this experience with the same apps on my iPhone 8, and no issues there. My guess is that some apps are scaling elements on the screen to fit the aspect ratio of the XR.

 

[OTACORB]

Yes it is an interesting thread! I would love to help you out, unfortunately I don't use anything Google except for YouTube with that I don't login to an account.

I will say I have come across an app or two that certainly the scaling is off, but it would be up to those developers to fix this. No eye strain for me thus far using the XR for going on two weeks.

 

[5105973]

I find reading this forum is a bit uncomfortable. But the posting window offers larger more clear text. Is there an option on this forum to scale up the font size?

 

[stafil]

I find reading this forum is a bit uncomfortable. But the posting window offers larger more clear text. Is there an option on this forum to scale up the font size?

You mean other the one that costs an extra $500 and Apple calls maximum excess?

Seriously though, you can change the font size in settings:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202828

 

[OTACORB]

I find reading this forum is a bit uncomfortable. But the posting window offers larger more clear text. Is there an option on this forum to scale up the font size?

We can blame Apple for this craziness as the text in Safari cannot be changed by default. If you switch to zoom mode it makes the text a bit larger. After reading the fuzzy text thread there are a couple of Safari scripts to help with this or you can get a browser that supports making text larger or smaller. I opted for the browser Perfect Web. In the last two days it totally solved the small text issue for reading in a browser for me. The scripts work too, I just want to set it and forget it and the script has to be run each time Safari is closed.
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Seriously though, you can change the font size in settings:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202828

That does not work in Safari. Dynamic text is disabled.

 

[Broadus]

We can blame Apple for this craziness as the text in Safari cannot be changed by default. If you switch to zoom mode it makes the text a bit larger. After reading the fuzzy text thread there are a couple of Safari scripts to help with this or you can get a browser that supports making text larger or smaller. I opted for the browser Perfect Web. In the last two days it totally solved the small text issue for reading in a browser for me. The scripts work too, I just want to set it and forget it and the script has to be run each time Safari is closed.

So what’s Apple’s reasoning for this restriction on Safari? It is really annoying. There’s one forum I frequent with fonts smaller than MR. Zoom display does solve the problem with MR though.

 

[OTACORB]

So what’s Apple’s reasoning for this restriction on Safari? It is really annoying. There’s one forum I frequent with fonts smaller than MR. Zoom display does solve the problem with MR though.

I really wish I knew Broadus. Apple seems to hate giving us options or customization.

 

[5105973]

You mean other the one that costs an extra $500 and Apple calls maximum excess?

Seriously though, you can change the font size in settings:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202828

I did that but it doesn’t affect forum text size. I can adjust text size in my Samsung S9+ and it makes the text nice and big here on the forum using the Samsung rework of Chrome. It doesn’t work in Safari at all.

 

[TDDM]

Man, this is so frustrating. I had zero eye strain for a solid week of using the XR, and then it suddenly started messing with my eyes. It feels like my eyes are working twice as hard compared to my 8+, it just makes no sense.

I've tried turning up the brightness, turning down the brightness, messing with True Tone, maxing out the font size, covering the notch, etc. What the heck is the issue? I've NEVER had an issue with LCD screens, I honestly cannot imagine what's going on.

It's not general eye fatigue, I can look at my 8+ and iPad just fine. It's not the low PPI, my Macbook and iPad are both equal or lower and give no problems. I'd say I have a defective unit, but others have reported the same symptoms (gritty feeling in eyes, eyes feeling fatigued, minor headache, etc).

I'm so disappointed over this, I thought the XR was the solution for PWM-sensitive people, but it's nearly as bad. This sucks.

 

[5105973]

Man, this is so frustrating. I had zero eye strain for a solid week of using the XR, and then it suddenly started messing with my eyes. It feels like my eyes are working twice as hard compared to my 8+, it just makes no sense.

I've tried turning up the brightness, turning down the brightness, messing with True Tone, maxing out the font size, covering the notch, etc. What the heck is the issue? I've NEVER had an issue with LCD screens, I honestly cannot imagine what's going on.

It's not general eye fatigue, I can look at my 8+ and iPad just fine. It's not the low PPI, my Macbook and iPad are both equal or lower and give no problems. I'd say I have a defective unit, but others have reported the same symptoms (gritty feeling in eyes, eyes feeling fatigued, minor headache, etc).

I'm so disappointed over this, I thought the XR was the solution for PWM-sensitive people, but it's nearly as bad. This sucks.

I’ve got to find again that post someone made about linking to an article to how Apple has a patented power management system and it may affect XR’s. I’m fine though. I haven’t had gritty eyes today.

 

[stafil]

Man, this is so frustrating. I had zero eye strain for a solid week of using the XR, and then it suddenly started messing with my eyes. It feels like my eyes are working twice as hard compared to my 8+, it just makes no sense.

I've tried turning up the brightness, turning down the brightness, messing with True Tone, maxing out the font size, covering the notch, etc. What the heck is the issue? I've NEVER had an issue with LCD screens, I honestly cannot imagine what's going on.

It's not general eye fatigue, I can look at my 8+ and iPad just fine. It's not the low PPI, my Macbook and iPad are both equal or lower and give no problems. I'd say I have a defective unit, but others have reported the same symptoms (gritty feeling in eyes, eyes feeling fatigued, minor headache, etc).

I'm so disappointed over this, I thought the XR was the solution for PWM-sensitive people, but it's nearly as bad. This sucks.

Is your FaceID and “Attention Aware Features” off?

I’ve said in the past and say it again. For heave phone users iPhone 8+ is the last good iPhone.

 

[TDDM]

Is your FaceID and “Attention Aware Features” off?

Yep, and I covered the notch too. No dice.

I’ve got to find again that post someone made about linking to an article to how Apple has a patented power management system and it may affect XR’s. I’m fine though. I haven’t had gritty eyes today.

Would you mind sharing your display settings? (brightness, true tone, display accommodations, etc?)

 

[5105973]

Yep, and I covered the notch too. No dice.


Would you mind sharing your display settings? (brightness, true tone, display accommodations, etc?)

Auto brightness, True Tone Off, display accommodation for text size set one notch above the middle point. Which doesn’t really help for much.

I have night shift on currently for night time use and it’s set one third of the way past the middle point...so it’s very baby aspirin orange right now. During the day I had it just above the minimum mark for awhile but ended up turning it off.

I’ve been on the forum a huge chunk of the evening and have had no eye strain or gritty feeling tonight whatsoever. I’ve also been playing Animal Crossing a lot today. All good!

 

[ooloo]

Maybe because of the light coming from four sides? Select a white only picture and rotate the phone a bit. Your seeing something like a rainbow effect.
Doesn’t happen with my iPhone 8.

Maybe this is the reason? Don’t know - but could be possible...

like different image qualities coming to each eye? it's possible! maybe holding the phone straight/flat and farther away would help

 

[sguser]

As soon as I pickup my daughters IPhone X My yes start feeling starange and I get a strange feeling in my head. I’ve bought XR for myself and I have absolutely no problem looking at its screen.

 

[user1234]

Very interested to find this thread. I'd like to highlight a possibly related issue I've noticed on the XR. With certain apps (Gmail and Hangouts are a couple of common examples), I find the text and the keyboard slightly blurry. If I switch to an Apple app, like Messages, everything is nice and sharp. If you have Gmail or Hangouts installed, please compare the sharpness of the keyboard on those apps with that on Messages and report back here. It's only a slight difference and you may not notice, although I definitely and clearly do. I've also seen it on more than one XR. It may be enough to strain some people's eyes.

I compared this experience with the same apps on my iPhone 8, and no issues there. My guess is that some apps are scaling elements on the screen to fit the aspect ratio of the XR.

Yes, I have noticed this. I had apps that were slightly blurry that are now sharp after an app update.
I think that there’s something different with the scaling that has to be addressed by app developers. YouTube is very fuzzy.

 

[TDDM]

I’ve been on the forum a huge chunk of the evening and have had no eye strain or gritty feeling tonight whatsoever. I’ve also been playing Animal Crossing a lot today. All good!

That's so weird, I really don't understand how this stuff just gets worse or better randomly. I'm glad it's improving for you though

Is it still better today?

Yes, I have noticed this. I had apps that were slightly blurry that are now sharp after an app update.
I think that there’s something different with the scaling that has to be addressed by app developers. YouTube is very fuzzy.

Yep, definitely. Unfortunately, I don't think this is the cause of the eye strain as I still get the same issues in Apple's native apps which are already scaled correctly (I assume, at least).


Anyway, I feel like I'm going crazy here. I had the XR from 10/26 all the way until 11/01 with ZERO eye strain whatsoever. And then all of a sudden, I get this gritty awful feeling in my eyes whenever I look at the screen. I swear, I'm almost convinced it's a placebo effect at this point or something. So far, I've ruled out:

-Brightness (Tested at 0%, 100%, etc)
-Screen Temp (Tested True Tone/Night Shift/White Point on/off)
-Font size (Tested at min, max)
-Low resolution (My iPad, MacBook, and old iPhone 5 don't bother my eyes whatsoever)
-Incorrect scaling (Apple's own apps give me the same issue)
-Screen flickering (No PWM, etc)
-General eye strain (My other devices work 100% perfectly and give me zero issues)

I really have no idea what the hell the issue is. Like I said before, this makes no sense. Anyone with any other ideas?

 

[Tijdelijk]

That's so weird, I really don't understand how this stuff just gets worse or better randomly. I'm glad it's improving for you though

Is it still better today?


Yep, definitely. Unfortunately, I don't think this is the cause of the eye strain as I still get the same issues in Apple's native apps which are already scaled correctly (I assume, at least).


Anyway, I feel like I'm going crazy here. I had the XR from 10/26 all the way until 11/01 with ZERO eye strain whatsoever. And then all of a sudden, I get this gritty awful feeling in my eyes whenever I look at the screen. I swear, I'm almost convinced it's a placebo effect at this point or something. So far, I've ruled out:

-Brightness (Tested at 0%, 100%, etc)
-Screen Temp (Tested True Tone/Night Shift/White Point on/off)
-Font size (Tested at min, max)
-Low resolution (My iPad, MacBook, and old iPhone 5 don't bother my eyes whatsoever)
-Incorrect scaling (Apple's own apps give me the same issue)
-Screen flickering (No PWM, etc)
-General eye strain (My other devices work 100% perfectly and give me zero issues)

I really have no idea what the hell the issue is. Like I said before, this makes no sense. Anyone with any other ideas?

8 plus and don't look back anymore

 

[stafil]

Anyone with any other ideas?

Probably not what you want to hear, but at this point you should really consider giving up and going back to 8+

 

[user1234]

I have had more eye strain than usual this past week with the XR. It may the the shift in humidity or it may be that I've stayed up later. I'm going to keep it though. Or that I have just used it an insane amount. It's been better these past two days though I feel.

The 8 Plus is too big for me, and I like the guesture navigation. So it's XR or rotary dial I guess.

 

[davedvdy]

My guess, not certain...I think it could have to do with the color reproduction.
It's more vibrant on the XR than previous LCD models. That could impact the eyes.

 

[now i see it]

My iPhone 5 gives me eye strain if i use it much. I notice it right away. My iPhone 6 Plus doesn't bother my eyes at all & I can stare at it all day long no problem.

The primary difference between those two displays is PPI. 326 PPI (iPhone 5 & XR) can cause eye fatigue. The eye is constantly trying to focus on something that isn't quite sharp and fatigues - and pain ensues. That's one theory anyway.

 

[TDDM]

I have had more eye strain than usual this past week with the XR. It may the the shift in humidity or it may be that I've stayed up later. I'm going to keep it though. Or that I have just used it an insane amount. It's been better these past two days though I feel.

The 8 Plus is too big for me, and I like the guesture navigation. So it's XR or rotary dial I guess.

Just curious, what does it feel like for you? For me, it’s like a pinching feeling above my eyes.

My iPhone 5 gives me eye strain of i use it much. I notice it right away. My iPhone 6 Plus doesn't bother my eyes at all & I can stare at it all day long no problem.

The primary difference between those two displays is PPI. 326 PPI (iPhone 5 & XR) can cause eye fatigue. The eye is constantly trying to focus on something that isn't quite sharp and fatigues - and pain ensues.

That’s what I thought at first as well, but I can use my iPad, MacBook, iPhone 5, etc with no issues :/

 

[user1234]

Just curious, what does it feel like for you? For me, it’s like a pinching feeling above my eyes.

They feel grainy, like if there’s tiny grains of sand in them. They also feel dry, and kind of like the feeling when you have an infected wound and touch it, although very mild. It’s a lot like when I had eyelid inflammation last year.

 

[GlenK]

Well I finally gave up yesterday and returned the XR and went back to my 8+. Just like others have posted above, I tried everything and it's just not worth having a phone that hurts to look at, no matter how much I love it. The phone is awesome but I can use the 8+ all day with no issues.

The last four days I would use the XR one day and the 8+ the next. At the end of the XR day my eyes were tired and hurt behind both eyes and on top of the eyeballs inside the socket. After the 8+ day my eyes felt rested and great!!

It's just not worth it as frustrating as it is. Now I'm wondering if my iPhone days are over. Very sad about that!!