MacBook Pro Hurts Eyes

[Garbag3man117]

I bought a Late 2011 17" MacBook Pro in April with the glossy screen. It's absolutely wonderful, and there has been no problems with it, except that it's starting to be uncomfortable to look at. It just seems like it hurts my eyes, and I want to squint my eyes when I look at the screen.

Granted, I do use it 8 hours+ a day, but I've looked at my 18" LCD screen 8 hours+ for the past 3 years and I've never experienced the effect. Yeah, I've got quite a bit of time on my hands

Is there any reason for this, and if so, is there a way to fix it? I might end up buying an Apple TV so I can just use my LCD TV as the monitor, but I'd rather not spend the money. Thanks for any help!

 

[simsaladimbamba]

It is probably due to the higher resolution (1920 x 1200 pixel) compared to your 18" LCD. I had the same problem when I got my 17" in 2009 but got used to it and try to enlarge texts I have to read.

 

[Dark Void]

Adjust your brightness settings.

 

[Gorms]

I'm not sure it's the Mac. I think you need to get your eyes checked.

 

[Garbag3man117]

I'm not sure it's the Mac. I think you need to get your eyes checked.

Honestly, I don't think so. I had a laptop before my Mac, granted it was smaller, but I used it for four years and never had this problem. It's only with the Mac.

Is the Mac screen an LED or LCD?

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Adjust your brightness settings.

That's what I thought was weird also. No matter what brightness setting I have it on, full blast, in the middle, or almost all the way down, it still feels uncomfortable.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Is the Mac screen an LED or LCD?

It is both, it is an LCD using LED backlight.

 

[takeshi74]

Is there any reason for this

There's certainly a reason or reasons for it but what the specific reason(s) is/are depends on your eyes and you'll probably need to do some trial-and-error to sort it out. What causes eyestrain isn't the same for everyone (evidenced by prior threads on eyestrain). It could be the glossy screen. It could be the resolution. It could be display settings such as brightness, etc.

Granted, I do use it 8 hours+ a day, but I've looked at my 18" LCD screen 8 hours+ for the past 3 years and I've never experienced the effect.

At least you have a known good data point to work with.

I might end up buying an Apple TV so I can just use my LCD TV as the monitor

TV's generally make for terrible monitors anyway.

 

[Garbag3man117]

Alright, I'll have to try some things. Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[Dark Void]

That's what I thought was weird also. No matter what brightness setting I have it on, full blast, in the middle, or almost all the way down, it still feels uncomfortable.

Must be your eyes then.

 

[Gorms]

Honestly, I don't think so. I had a laptop before my Mac, granted it was smaller, but I used it for four years and never had this problem. It's only with the Mac.

The main reason I say this that I was complaining about similar symptoms a month ago, everyone told me to get my eyes checked. Turns out I need glasses. Not a strong prescription by any means but it's finally happened; after 10 years of staring at screens my eyes are slightly knackered.