Health concerns - Reading on LCD's

Fif23 · 10-23-2010, 12:02 PM

I am worrying that reading on LCD devices suck as Iphones or IPASD may destroy your eyes after a few years.

What is it exactly that is so bad about viewing a backlit screen ? If the backlight is low enough, is it just as healthy as E-INK ?

Could long term eye health be the weak point of all these devices ?

Tamara · 10-23-2010, 02:42 PM

Reading on an LCD is no more likely to destroy your eyes than reading a paper book, watching tv or doing any other activity involving your eyes.

People have been looking at LCD screens for over 20 years now and there are no reports of people going blind or suffering eye damage.

I sold my e-ink reader because the low contrast caused a lot of eyestrain that I don't experience using the iPad.

Seanette · 10-23-2010, 02:46 PM

Useful info, since my own visual problems demand good contrast (I have an iPod Touch en route).

susan_cassidy · 10-23-2010, 03:50 PM

I have bad eyes, but am forced to look at a monitor screen all day, since I'm a programmer. I don't like reading, per se, on the monitor, though. I think it is the difference in contrast, or something. I know the backlighting makes floaters much more obvious, and therefore more annoying.

Maggie Leung · 10-23-2010, 08:46 PM

I've edited for about two decades on backlit screens. During that time, I've worked with hundreds of people and not heard about backlighting being a problem. We did have a bunch of repetitive stress injury cases and such, but that has tapered off with improved ergonomics and awareness.

In addition to working full time on backlit screens, I've read for leisure on backlit screens for hours at a time, starting in the mid-1990s. No problems.

My husband is an IT guy who has worked on backlit screens for nearly 25 years without problems. He also is on his computers for hours daily away from work.

Your mileage might vary, of course.

cavi · 10-24-2010, 01:41 AM

I actually just bought a new kindle as I do get more headaches with the iPad I find the new kindle is sharper than the iPad but it might just be me

cleanskin · 10-24-2010, 04:26 PM

Cavi, you make a good point about pixel density. When you can see the pixel structure (screen door effect), your brain is constantly trying to filter it out as you read the images on the screen. This leads to fatigue more than the high contrast or screen brightness. I would not want to read on an iPad for very long, however the iPod Touch 4 with the Retina screen is a joy to read on. The only disadvantage is the small screen size. I owned a Kindle DX, but returned it within the 30 day period because the lack of contrast and the gray background made it difficult to read without lots of ambient light. It was even to my surprise when I received the iPod Touch 4 that the pixel dense Retina screen actually provides a superior reading comfort to e-ink technology.

holterzoff · 10-24-2010, 05:09 PM

Hi cleanskin, i think you're flat on right about the pixel density. I actually recognized that I enjoy reading on the iphone4 a lot more in the last time than on the iPad. It is a better reading experience. So let' s hope for a retina iPad as that would be the ultimate e-reader. Cheers

monkeyluis · 10-24-2010, 09:56 PM

I have been using an LCD for years and years now. I still have perfect vision and I'm 32.

Razi · 10-25-2010, 05:02 AM

I have been using an LCD for years and years now. I still have perfect vision and I'm 42.

Just finished surfing the web and watching a 3 hour movie, all in all 5 hours of continuous staring at my laptop screen and still no eye-strain. Reading from paper books makes my eyes watery, specially when I read lying down. I stopped using my iLiad long time ago because of low contrast. iPad is a far better reading experience than epaper.

athlonkmf · 10-25-2010, 10:19 AM

I've been spending more than 3 hours daily in front a screen of some sort for 2 decades.
My eyesight has actually improved according to my last check-up.

And I'm also one of those who opt for an iPad over my eink-readers (which are now used by my other half)

Kolenka · 10-25-2010, 03:29 PM

I actually use both, for different reasons. The iPad is better when I'm doing something that requires taking notes, like research projects. Or when I'm reading back logs of blogs, comics and the like. My Sony is so much nicer for longer amounts of pleasure reading, and is usually device #1 when looking at taking a vacation.

I find the e-Ink of the Sony at 160 PPI better than the 130 PPI of the iPad for raw text which is part of it. The simplicity of something that looks like paper helps as well, my eyes don't have quite the crisis in different light conditions that require me to tweak and adjust the backlight every so often.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Two Canadian concerns about the nook	ereaderwanabe	Which one should I buy?	9	08-12-2010 06:30 PM
Reflective lcd's vs e-ink	arsingh1	General Discussions	124	05-05-2010 05:32 AM
During the health care proceedings, a sitting senator was seen reading a Kindle.	Ocean	News	6	09-23-2009 10:39 PM
Reading in bed can be hazardous to your health!	memobug	Sony Reader	22	04-02-2007 10:21 AM
Reading e-books may jeapordize your health	Colin Dunstan	Lounge	5	10-24-2005 07:33 PM

10-23-2010, 12:02 PM	#1
Fif23 Connoisseur Posts: 88 Karma: 499132 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: None	Health concerns - Reading on LCD's I am worrying that reading on LCD devices suck as Iphones or IPASD may destroy your eyes after a few years. What is it exactly that is so bad about viewing a backlit screen ? If the backlight is low enough, is it just as healthy as E-INK ? Could long term eye health be the weak point of all these devices ?

10-23-2010, 02:42 PM	#2
Tamara Evangelist Posts: 446 Karma: 1812 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: iPhone	Reading on an LCD is no more likely to destroy your eyes than reading a paper book, watching tv or doing any other activity involving your eyes. People have been looking at LCD screens for over 20 years now and there are no reports of people going blind or suffering eye damage. I sold my e-ink reader because the low contrast caused a lot of eyestrain that I don't experience using the iPad.

10-23-2010, 02:46 PM	#3
Seanette Addict Posts: 254 Karma: 834 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Sacramento, CA Device: Samsung Galaxy s3 (Android 4.4.2), iPad 2, Win10 laptop	Useful info, since my own visual problems demand good contrast (I have an iPod Touch en route).

10-23-2010, 03:50 PM	#4
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	I have bad eyes, but am forced to look at a monitor screen all day, since I'm a programmer. I don't like reading, per se, on the monitor, though. I think it is the difference in contrast, or something. I know the backlighting makes floaters much more obvious, and therefore more annoying.

10-23-2010, 08:46 PM	#5
Maggie Leung Wizard Posts: 1,449 Karma: 58383 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Kindle, iPad	I've edited for about two decades on backlit screens. During that time, I've worked with hundreds of people and not heard about backlighting being a problem. We did have a bunch of repetitive stress injury cases and such, but that has tapered off with improved ergonomics and awareness. In addition to working full time on backlit screens, I've read for leisure on backlit screens for hours at a time, starting in the mid-1990s. No problems. My husband is an IT guy who has worked on backlit screens for nearly 25 years without problems. He also is on his computers for hours daily away from work. Your mileage might vary, of course.

10-24-2010, 01:41 AM	#6
cavi Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 580 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: prs600	I actually just bought a new kindle as I do get more headaches with the iPad I find the new kindle is sharper than the iPad but it might just be me

10-24-2010, 04:26 PM	#7
cleanskin Member Posts: 16 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle DX	Cavi, you make a good point about pixel density. When you can see the pixel structure (screen door effect), your brain is constantly trying to filter it out as you read the images on the screen. This leads to fatigue more than the high contrast or screen brightness. I would not want to read on an iPad for very long, however the iPod Touch 4 with the Retina screen is a joy to read on. The only disadvantage is the small screen size. I owned a Kindle DX, but returned it within the 30 day period because the lack of contrast and the gray background made it difficult to read without lots of ambient light. It was even to my surprise when I received the iPod Touch 4 that the pixel dense Retina screen actually provides a superior reading comfort to e-ink technology.

10-24-2010, 05:09 PM	#8
holterzoff Connoisseur Posts: 67 Karma: 3052 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: cologne Device: kindle3w, Ipad, iphone4	Hi cleanskin, i think you're flat on right about the pixel density. I actually recognized that I enjoy reading on the iphone4 a lot more in the last time than on the iPad. It is a better reading experience. So let' s hope for a retina iPad as that would be the ultimate e-reader. Cheers

10-24-2010, 09:56 PM	#9
monkeyluis Banned Posts: 725 Karma: 656644 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Central Florida Device: iPad "3", Kindle Touch, Kindle Fire, iPhone 4S	I have been using an LCD for years and years now. I still have perfect vision and I'm 32.

10-25-2010, 05:02 AM	#10
Razi Zealot Posts: 109 Karma: 494242 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: London, UK Device: Toshiba E740, Cassiopeia, iLiad, iPad, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura HD	I have been using an LCD for years and years now. I still have perfect vision and I'm 42. Just finished surfing the web and watching a 3 hour movie, all in all 5 hours of continuous staring at my laptop screen and still no eye-strain. Reading from paper books makes my eyes watery, specially when I read lying down. I stopped using my iLiad long time ago because of low contrast. iPad is a far better reading experience than epaper.

Advert

Advert

10-25-2010, 10:19 AM	#11
athlonkmf Guru Posts: 714 Karma: 1014039 Join Date: May 2007 Device: Sony PRS-500, Sony PRS-505, Kindle 3, Sony PRS350, iPad 64GB	I've been spending more than 3 hours daily in front a screen of some sort for 2 decades. My eyesight has actually improved according to my last check-up. And I'm also one of those who opt for an iPad over my eink-readers (which are now used by my other half)

10-25-2010, 03:29 PM	#12
Kolenka <Insert Wit Here> Posts: 1,017 Karma: 1275899 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Puget Sound Device: Kindle Oasis, Kobo Forma	I actually use both, for different reasons. The iPad is better when I'm doing something that requires taking notes, like research projects. Or when I'm reading back logs of blogs, comics and the like. My Sony is so much nicer for longer amounts of pleasure reading, and is usually device #1 when looking at taking a vacation. I find the e-Ink of the Sony at 160 PPI better than the 130 PPI of the iPad for raw text which is part of it. The simplicity of something that looks like paper helps as well, my eyes don't have quite the crisis in different light conditions that require me to tweak and adjust the backlight every so often.