MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Stop squinting - eyestrain problems caused by small screens

Alexander Turcic · 04-25-2006, 08:51 AM

If you're one of the many people who use their handheld every day, you may experience eyestrain as a result. The Wall Street Journal has a write up of how especially younger folks suffer from vision difficulties due to prolonged sessions of reading or looking at tiny computer screens.

As use of portable hand-held gadgets soars, America is becoming a nation of squinters who spend hours hunched over gadgets like PDAs, cellphones, game devices and iPods, straining to read small text everywhere from dimly lighted restaurants to sunny park benches. With mobile technology growing increasingly sophisticated -- allowing people to surf the Web, build PowerPoint presentations and watch "The Daily Show" on screens barely larger than a postage stamp -- many users say they are experiencing eyestrain... Some opticians say the tiny fonts on the gadgets are leading a wave of younger people to seek reading glasses. Most people start noticing age-related vision declines around age 40, as the eye's internal lens loses elasticity. While no one is suggesting that the small screens are causing people's vision to deteriorate faster, some opticians say the small type on portable gadgets is making people aware of minor vision shortcomings at younger ages.

The article goes on explaining how tech companies are trying to address this problem by introducing new technologies:

Microsoft adapted new fonts designed for small handheld screen (e.g. Frutiger Linotype).
Motorola's forthcoming phones will have the option to enlarge the type size.
Sony will introduce the electronic book, the Sony Reader, to mimic the experience of reading on paper with a screen that reflects natural light.
Palm uses transflective screens that have a backlight for low-light situations, but also have the capacity to reflect natural light. Also, the glass displays on Palm handhelds are treated with special polarized films that bend light in ways that allow users to see the screen clearly from many angles.

To prevent eyestrain the article recommends to take frequent breaks and - I first put off writing about this because I wasn't ready in my heart to accept it - to avoid using mobile gadgets for a long time.

So what do you do to keep your eyes fresh after hours in front of your monitor? Let's us know your best tips!

04-25-2006, 08:51 AM	#1
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Stop squinting - eyestrain problems caused by small screens If you're one of the many people who use their handheld every day, you may experience eyestrain as a result. The Wall Street Journal has a write up of how especially younger folks suffer from vision difficulties due to prolonged sessions of reading or looking at tiny computer screens. As use of portable hand-held gadgets soars, America is becoming a nation of squinters who spend hours hunched over gadgets like PDAs, cellphones, game devices and iPods, straining to read small text everywhere from dimly lighted restaurants to sunny park benches. With mobile technology growing increasingly sophisticated -- allowing people to surf the Web, build PowerPoint presentations and watch "The Daily Show" on screens barely larger than a postage stamp -- many users say they are experiencing eyestrain... Some opticians say the tiny fonts on the gadgets are leading a wave of younger people to seek reading glasses. Most people start noticing age-related vision declines around age 40, as the eye's internal lens loses elasticity. While no one is suggesting that the small screens are causing people's vision to deteriorate faster, some opticians say the small type on portable gadgets is making people aware of minor vision shortcomings at younger ages. The article goes on explaining how tech companies are trying to address this problem by introducing new technologies: Microsoft adapted new fonts designed for small handheld screen (e.g. Frutiger Linotype). Motorola's forthcoming phones will have the option to enlarge the type size. Sony will introduce the electronic book, the Sony Reader, to mimic the experience of reading on paper with a screen that reflects natural light. Palm uses transflective screens that have a backlight for low-light situations, but also have the capacity to reflect natural light. Also, the glass displays on Palm handhelds are treated with special polarized films that bend light in ways that allow users to see the screen clearly from many angles. To prevent eyestrain the article recommends to take frequent breaks and - I first put off writing about this because I wasn't ready in my heart to accept it - to avoid using mobile gadgets for a long time. So what do you do to keep your eyes fresh after hours in front of your monitor? Let's us know your best tips!