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My eyes HURT and turn RED from looking at my Macbook Pro13.. is it Glare? Help please

M

manimalfully

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 4, 2009
28
0
Hi,

Not to sound dramatic, but I got my macbook pro awhile ago and after looking at the screen for an hour or so, my eyes would start hurting and turn Red! (severely)

I used to be fine looking at my macbook for like 8 hours straight for a year. But I ended up being on the computer for like 12 hours a day for a year.
And now I can't even look at the same screen without my eyes KILLINg me within 15-20mins.
They turn red and pain. My head hurts. I get a headache.

I ignored it, but I literally have permanent red vessels in my eyes now, and it looks terrible. So I went to an optometrist and all, and she didn't help much.

What is weird is that I can stare at my ipad2 and ipad-air for hours still at a stretch and my eyes would be completely fine. I looked up the screen-types, and macbookpro and ipad2 have the same LED screen.. (I think).

It's definitey not because of the glare! I bought a greenonions ag2 macbook screen cover, and it helped just a little, but the same thing still happens to my eyes. (they turned red, started hurting after awhile)

(I've tried everything from turning the brightness down to installing programs like flux and shades. I've tried different resolutions and what not as well.)
My eyes hurt from macbook air too. (atleast teh current 2013 model I tested)
I tried a toshiba like from 2011 and that hurts too.. :(

1. What should I do? Anybody have experience on this?

I feel like a layer on eye has been burned off from the 12 hours straight I stared at my macbook for a year.


2. This isn't an appropriate forum to ask and I might sound like an idiot for asking, but anybody have an suggestions for how to make these permanent red veins in my eyes to go away. (I'm thinking laser eye surgery at some point)

Please help with any suggestions. Thank you guys. :(

ps. my macbookpro is useless to me until I fix this problem, I have to use my ipad-air all day.. ugh

pps. relevant thread maybe: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1677617?start=2070&tstart=0
 
Last edited:
Krazy Bill said:
Turn the brightness down.

Dude, seriously?
Click to expand...

I've tried everything from turning the brightness down to installing programs like flux and shades. I've tried different resolutions and what not as well.

I'm basically 100% sure it's the glare/reflections.
 
manimalfully said:
I've tried everything from turning the brightness down to installing programs like flux and shades. I've tried different resolutions and what not as well.

I've basically 100% sure it's the glare/reflections.
Click to expand...

Some people's eyes are sensitive to that sort of thing.

My advice? Get new eyes. :thumbs up:
 
So your eyes are straining to focus. They dont turn red, thats from your rubbing.

I would lower the brightness, lower the resolution and increase the font size.

And wear classes while using the computer.

Better yet see an optomitrist.
 
Try blinking... Ironically that is actually how most get sore eyes, because the "forget" to blink often enough.
 
manimalfully said:
I've tried everything from turning the brightness down to installing programs like flux and shades. I've tried different resolutions and what not as well.

I'm basically 100% sure it's the glare/reflections.
Click to expand...

Then you're screwed - at least from Apple's perspective. Soon all their displays will be glossy and the matte screen will no longer be an option (as with the new retina).

You'll either have to change platforms or find a way to live with it. :eek:
 
Here's a question: Up until January when you bought the MBP, were you using a laptop (any laptop) or LCD monitor for as many hours a day as you have been since buying the MacBook? I had a MAJOR adjustment period when things went from CRT to LCD. I used to hate looking at LCD screens, because they made my eyes sting and get really red. It took about a year of having my Titanium PowerBook for my eyes to completely adjust to LCD. Now things are pretty much normal, though after prolonged use, my eyes can ache a bit, depending on the screen. I typically find that screens with a lower pixel density makes things worse. Correct me if I'm wrong, but inch for inch, the 13" MBP has a lower pixel density than the iPad 2 (or at least it's very similar). Brightness can be a factor, which is why I use my MBP at 50%. You might be overly sensitive to glare, particularly from other light sources. If you can see a light (or the sun) shining in your screen, you need to move, because that always gives me a MASSIVE headache. I'm sorry you're having this experience, but if this is your first time using an LCD screen for many hours a day, then that could be the cause. Otherwise, start using sunglasses when looking at your screen, even indoors. Might sound crazy, but it used to avoid the headaches early on for me.
 
If you're eyes are turning red, then maybe you're becoming a vampire? Have you become allergic to garlic recently?
 
mac1984user said:
Here's a question: Up until January when you bought the MBP, were you using a laptop (any laptop) or LCD monitor for as many hours a day as you have been since buying the MacBook? I had a MAJOR adjustment period when things went from CRT to LCD. I used to hate looking at LCD screens, because they made my eyes sting and get really red. It took about a year of having my Titanium PowerBook for my eyes to completely adjust to LCD. Now things are pretty much normal, though after prolonged use, my eyes can ache a bit, depending on the screen. I typically find that screens with a lower pixel density makes things worse. Correct me if I'm wrong, but inch for inch, the 13" MBP has a lower pixel density than the iPad 2 (or at least it's very similar). Brightness can be a factor, which is why I use my MBP at 50%. You might be overly sensitive to glare, particularly from other light sources. If you can see a light (or the sun) shining in your screen, you need to move, because that always gives me a MASSIVE headache. I'm sorry you're having this experience, but if this is your first time using an LCD screen for many hours a day, then that could be the cause. Otherwise, start using sunglasses when looking at your screen, even indoors. Might sound crazy, but it used to avoid the headaches early on for me.
Click to expand...

:)
Ok, so up until like last year, I used this oldass dell inspiron I bought in like 2006. I never had eye problems, I use about 4 hours per day I think.
Then I tried MacBook white LCD and MacBook pro led, and both cause red eyes that hurt like hell after awhile.
Both of the MacBook screens are glossier and more reflective than my old dell.

And when I use my ipad2, it also has very few reflections or glossiness to it as I have a anti glare cover on it and I never use it close to a window really.

So I'm thinking to get techrestore.com to replace my glossy to a matte screen for $200.

I think it'll solve most of the problem.
 
Op your suffering from eye strain and need to go back and get reading glasses!
 
wassja said:
I think you are mostly suffering from backlight flicker. Some LCDs have a backlight with a high flicker frequency and some with a lower one. Try using your LCD at maximum brightness and see if it helps. The flicker becomes less bad at that setting. Pixel density might be a factor too here. Perhaps you can find useful information on this site: http://vasyafromukraine.webs.com/
Click to expand...

this could be the issue. LED backlit screens dont actually go "more dim" as you turn the brightness down...they flicker slower to appear more dim. some peoples eyes are sensitive to this flicker...

do you get the problem when the screen is at full brightness? if so try screenshade to dim the display...iirc it uses gamma to lower brightness...might be beneficial
 
There are lots of issues why your eyes could be bothering you and without a doubt, you should have them examined.
 
Take a break. Seriously. It's most likely eye strain.
Take this coming weekend off from your iPad and MacBook. Don't use them at all. Go outside and enjoy natural lighting and make sure to get good sleep.
 
I think you are making the situation a bit overblown, everyones eyes hurt or remain bloodshot every now and again when staring at a screen for a while. Just remember to blink every couple of minutes at least.
 
solsearchin said:
Low res screens give my eyes the same issue, might be your issue?
Click to expand...

Same here. The 13" Pro really made my eyes ache when I had one. And I figured out that it was because the text is really poorly rendered on it. Having moved to a retina pro, the difference is like night and day. I can read for hours without any problems.
 
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