e-Books and Eyesight

[Jellby]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

I have yet to see an actual study that provides medical evidence for the readability of e-ink screens... all evidence seems to be anecdotal. (Which isn't to say that it's wrong... just that as yet it has no medical data to back it up).

Is there at least medical evidence for the harm of reading from backlit, sometimes flickering, screens? I must confess I have never felt eyestrain, headache or whatever by reading from a computer screen, LCD or CRT.

If it has been shown that TV or computer screens can be harmful for the eyesight (or more harmful than paper, at least), I think it's sensible to think that "proofs" e-ink is not, since it's not much different from paper.

[tlshaw]

I don't think my eyesight has improved, but I get fewer headaches and I can read longer, especially if I increase the font size.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by tlshaw

I don't think my eyesight has improved, but I get fewer headaches and I can read longer, especially if I increase the font size.

probably one of the better reasons for a reader ....

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by Jellby

Is there at least medical evidence for the harm of reading from backlit, sometimes flickering, screens? I must confess I have never felt eyestrain, headache or whatever by reading from a computer screen, LCD or CRT.

There is medical documentation that indicates the flickering effect of some electronic media (depends on the type and rate) puts undue strain on the eyes, causing fatigue.

In addition, screens that have a thick layer of glass in front of them (like CRTs and CRT-based TVs) cause the eye to refocus constantly and alternately on the front of the screen, and the front of the glass... even though we're only talking about millimeter distances, the effect is more muscular fatigue on the eyes. Closeness exacerbates the problem.

Not everyone experiences these things the same, so it is not strange for you to have not experienced eyestrain or fatigue (yet!).

E-ink, being displayed with no flickering screen, and with a very thin layer between the e-ink and the surface, should prevent many of the problems of screen reading by removing the causes of constant refocusing and flicker-adjustment... it is much closer to "reading ink on paper." However, it is not exactly the same, and the differences warrant further study (if, for no other reason, to establish e-ink as a display technology that should be used more widely for the sake of public health).

[Curly]

The ability to increase the size of the text, justify / unjustify, and change fonts makes reading more comfortable. I can read comfortably for a relatively long period of time.