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Retina screen, head, eye strain and nausea problems.
- Thread starter Simacca
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I found an 89 page thread on the Apple forums about it, but no one has a solution. Looks like I'm just unlucky.
The screen is lovely. Best I've seen. Just doesn't agree with me for some reason :-(
Sounds sensible, as I don't think a display can have too good a resolution. As far as I know the refresh rate has not been changed for a while (typically 60 Hz), so perhaps it's the backlighting. If you have some kind of video recorder, you could take a video of the rMBP and then ipad and then your previous laptop and see if rMBP flickers more than the rest.
When it comes to your eyes, don't you think it's way better to have healthy eyes than a faulty laptop?
Are you having the problems only at night? I use an app called Flux on my mbp and it basically adjusts the screen to a warmer temperature past sunset, so that the temperature of the screen matches the light temperature in the room.
Not sure if it would help in your case -- maybe the refresh rate is wonky? If anything a retina display should be much clearer and easier on the eyes than a regular resolution display since everything is sharper and more defined.
Not sure if it would help in your case -- maybe the refresh rate is wonky? If anything a retina display should be much clearer and easier on the eyes than a regular resolution display since everything is sharper and more defined.
I did a couple of tests with video cams and couldn't detect any flickering on the macbook.
It really has me stumped as I have never experienced anything like this before.
My symptoms start practically as soon as I begin using it and it doesn't seem to matter what time of the day. Tried f.lux with no luck.
Just received my new rMBP 15 and after a bit of use had the queasy nausea feeling! Then found this thread. I usually get this from video gaming/reading in a moving vehicle etc.
I have noticed that I had the retina display resolution on scaled and at the highest resolution setting (far right). Which I think was the culprit. I now have it on 'best for display' and I am okay again. I shuffle the brightness around a bit also. No nausea! Hope this helps.
I came from an old 2008 MBP.
I have noticed that I had the retina display resolution on scaled and at the highest resolution setting (far right). Which I think was the culprit. I now have it on 'best for display' and I am okay again. I shuffle the brightness around a bit also. No nausea! Hope this helps.
I came from an old 2008 MBP.
I don't think this has to do with Retina. Maybe just a coincidence. Sharpness can't cause problems. Why? The real world you look everyday has tinier detais than your Retina.
Flickering can cause problems but you didn't notice any problems. Too bright backlight can cause problems. What else? Maybe some highpitch sound. But not "too high" resolution....
Flickering can cause problems but you didn't notice any problems. Too bright backlight can cause problems. What else? Maybe some highpitch sound. But not "too high" resolution....
If this is worth anything, I had the same problem with my 2011 High Res Antiglare screen. First few weeks, I literally felt sick. Whenever I started looking at the screen, I could feel my heart rate go up. I posted this in another forum, but this was during college, near the end of the semester so I really needed to be on it, a lot. After a few weeks though, it was totally fine. After reading through Apple forum's thread, it might have something to do with the LED screens. But nothing conclusive.
So the past month or so, I've been thinking of upgrading to a Retina. I've been to the store a few times playing with the Retina's and definitely had the same symptoms. Increased heart rate, nausea, headache, only after being on them for about 15 minutes. I also worked on my friends Retina the other day, for about an hour, and the same thing happened. It really sucks. I'm happy with my 2011 but I know I'll have to upgrade eventually.
I ended up returning the MacBook because it wasn't my eyesight causing the problems. I have since been through many different types of tablets and laptops only to get the same reaction from the screen. It seemed that my eyes and brain are so used to my current gadgets that anything new was giving me horrible side effects. It's so frustrating as I love my gadgets.
Anyway, about a month ago I purchased the new samsung phone only to be greeted with the same side effects, but this time I decided to persevere and after a couple of weeks all of the side effects have subsided. This now gives me confidence to purchase new gadgets in the future.
I would love to know the real cause of this, but don't fancy going through a barrage of hospital tests.
Yes, you are not alone. Lots of people are reporting this issue, and some of them in more dramatic terms than you. While many others report no problems at all.
It sounds like a potential liability problem to me, so I'm guessing Apple is looking in to it. Perhaps the best solution is to just be patient and hope this will be resolved in future versions. Retina does seem really popular with those who don't have these issues, so Apple seems likely to want to protect the feature from controversy etc.
Read my last reply I made a short while ago. It turns out that it wasn't just Apple products that were affecting me. I think it is down to something that's wrong with me rather than the products themselves.
As you saw in the mega thread on the Apple forum, a big bunch of folks were all doing fine on other Apple products. And then they got a Retina, and various dramatic eye problems erupted. When they return to whatever they were using before Retina, the problems go away.
What makes the issue interesting is that on the other hand a great many people LOVE Retina and are having no problems of any kind. Whether these folks will begin to have problems with continued use is unknown.
It reads to me that Apple is making an attempt to substantially improve the image quality of their monitors, and in doing so they are pushing up against some human body boundaries. While all monitors probably cause issues for some, Retina seems to be expanding the pool of affected users.
So, there is something wrong with you in that your eyes aren't up to this more challenging environment, and something wrong with Retina as it puts more people in the problem pool than previous monitors did.
All I can say is that the Retina screen triggered the problem, as I wasn't experincing any problems until I had the Macbook. I may find out what the real problem is one day
It sounds as though you have a severe case of CVS (Computer Vision Symptom). Many people have issues with it to some degree or another.
Symptoms can range from the mild (eye strain, dry eyes, tired eyes) through problems focusing the the eyes, double vision, headaches, etc. through more extreme cases where the symptoms can include nausea, dizziness, vertigo.
http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/computer-vision-syndrome
I thought computer vision syndrome at one point, but the problem was/is only happening with new gadgets. I currently own an iPad 3, samsung galaxy note 2, various gaming consoles and don't have any problems with CVS. As soon as I tried anything new I had horrible side effects. I finally had a breakthrough when purchasing a new phone, but it took over 2 weeks for the side effects to subside. I haven't tried anything new since, but am more hopeful now.
It doesn't really make any sense to me as I grew up around gadgets, always trying to keep up with the rat race, and never experienced any side effects until I purchased a MacBook Pro with Retina, which seemed to trigger it all off. I'm not blaming Apple as it could of a been coincidence and I hope to one day be the proud permanent owner of one. Only time will tell.
It could still be CVS. You just never know what the trigger will be. Something about these newer devices that is triggering it, at least to a greater degree, than maybe past devices.
Also, some times these things can come on suddenly and without warning and disappear just was suddenly without notice.
I was having an issue some time back, where I was getting hit with some really bad panic attacks. It freaked me out. I had never had one before and called for emergency services. Over time they came with less and less frequency and eventually subsided.
Long story short, you never know what factors can set you off. For me, I believe it was stress related. Whether they just really subsided as quickly as they came on, or whether I just learned to deal with them and control them, as you have with that phone, is something I still have questions about.
Also, some times these things can come on suddenly and without warning and disappear just was suddenly without notice.
I was having an issue some time back, where I was getting hit with some really bad panic attacks. It freaked me out. I had never had one before and called for emergency services. Over time they came with less and less frequency and eventually subsided.
Long story short, you never know what factors can set you off. For me, I believe it was stress related. Whether they just really subsided as quickly as they came on, or whether I just learned to deal with them and control them, as you have with that phone, is something I still have questions about.
Such an old thread but I am just popping in to say YES re the retina - tight head/tinnitus etc - God I miss my daggy old 2012 Mac - I 'upgraded' and it's awful. Apple makes it worse - Help Agent: I have never heard of any such issues with Retina Display, Apple recommends you see a doctor.
Perhaps you could try an anti-glare/matte screen protector? These soften the image slightly and reduce glare, essentially replicating previous matte displays.
They’re pretty cheap, and if if you find they don’t help, just remove them and it’s no great loss. At least then you’ll know.
I have a feeling they’ll help.
They’re pretty cheap, and if if you find they don’t help, just remove them and it’s no great loss. At least then you’ll know.
I have a feeling they’ll help.