e-Books and Eyesight

Sonist · 02-19-2009, 08:51 PM

A question about eye strain:

Just curious, has anyone seen a study on how eInk fares in long-term use? How does it compare to paper books?

If there is no study, anecdotal evidence is O.K.

narbeauchamp · 02-19-2009, 09:07 PM

So far,my vision hasn't gotten worse-and for me that is an improvement !

lilac_jive · 02-19-2009, 09:12 PM

Eink is definitely easier on my eyes. They'll never improve though.

rebarnmom · 02-19-2009, 09:35 PM

My vision was already deteriorating. That's why I like my Reader with the larger font sizes to choose from!

PhishStyx · 02-19-2009, 09:58 PM

I'm afraid there's little hope for my eyes to get better, but the e-ink screen does seem much less strenuous on them, which is a big plus in my . . . wait for it. . . book!

(Oh god, I'm easily amused.)

Milo Dijete · 02-20-2009, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by narbeauchamp

So far,my vision hasn't gotten worse-and for me that is an improvement !

Ditto.

If I didn't have an e-reader I would still be reading all those books on a computer, and since I have to use the computer a lot anyway, I'd practically spend most of my waking hours staring at a backlit screen. Most days, my eyes would tear up and hurt so bad I'd have to take hours-long breaks before even thinking of going back to anything that required reading or typing.

Nowadays no backlit screens are involved in my leasure reading at all, and I use them for work-related stuff only as much as can't be avoided (A4-sized pdfs are still a problem for 6-inch screens). Being able to increase the font size in most types of files is very, very nice indeed.

desertgrandma · 02-20-2009, 05:33 PM

What LJ said.....

Tattncat · 02-20-2009, 11:13 PM

I'll go along w/LJ, less eyestrain, but little chance of improvement.

Sydney's Mom · 02-21-2009, 12:20 AM

Much less eyestrain. I look at a computer all day, and it is nice to read something that is not backlighted.

Actually, my eyesight is getting better. I went from -750 to 20-20 after surgery. One eye was actually undercorrected, left at -300, so I wouldn't need reading glasses. As I age, it gets closer to 0. The monovision was a mistake, but it turned out perfectly!

Fledchen · 02-21-2009, 07:56 AM

I was legally blind when I bought my ebook reader, and I'm still legally blind. My vision hasn't changed.
However, since I can change the font size of the book using the ebook reader, I can actually read books visually again instead of relying upon audio books.
Large print paper books are large and awkward, and reading regular print with a magnifier triggers motion sickness. I vastly prefer an ebook to either of those previous options.

purl4peace · 02-21-2009, 03:31 PM

I don't think that eInk (or anything else short of Lasik) will improve my eyes.

However, eInk makes reading easier for me, and as a result, I do it more which is a good thing. I am also able to do it longer without having to quit due to eyestrain and inability to focus (mentally and physically). I suspect this is the point that the question was getting at and why I voted yes...

GeoffC · 02-22-2009, 06:51 AM

I believe it is easier to read, consistent font between books - tailored for me; but I seem (!) to fall asleep more frequently than I recall doing when I read pbooks - perhaps it is the lack of having to physically turn a page and grapple with the bendability of the book that is causing it. Anyone else have this problem?

Phogg · 02-22-2009, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

I believe it is easier to read, consistent font between books - tailored for me; but I seem (!) to fall asleep more frequently than I recall doing when I read pbooks - perhaps it is the lack of having to physically turn a page and grapple with the bendability of the book that is causing it. Anyone else have this problem?

I do.

I think it is because I am almost 50 though.

GeoffC · 02-22-2009, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phogg

I do.

I think it is because I am almost 50 though.

bit harsh to blame it on your age ....

Steven Lyle Jordan · 02-23-2009, 12:55 PM

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).

But I'm sure that somewhere, someone must be studying the displays in a more scientific way, and will eventually provide medical data on the readability of e-ink compared to other display technologies. (If anyone knows of such a study, shout out.)

View Poll Results: Since I've started using an eInk device, my eyesight has:
Improved (bent paperback pages caused my eyes to strain))	11	14.10%
About the same	57	73.08%
I can't see the question, but I'll click anyway	10	12.82%
Voters: 78. You may not vote on this poll

02-19-2009, 08:51 PM	#1
Sonist Apeist Posts: 2,126 Karma: 381090 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The sunny part of California Device: Generic virtual reality story-experiential device	e-Books and Eyesight A question about eye strain: Just curious, has anyone seen a study on how eInk fares in long-term use? How does it compare to paper books? If there is no study, anecdotal evidence is O.K. Last edited by Sonist; 02-19-2009 at 08:58 PM.

02-21-2009, 03:31 PM	#11
purl4peace Mommy of Many Interests Posts: 139 Karma: 660 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Wake Forest, NC Device: Kindle DX, Sony PRS-505, Cybook Gen3	Poll question is poorly worded... I don't think that eInk (or anything else short of Lasik) will improve my eyes. However, eInk makes reading easier for me, and as a result, I do it more which is a good thing. I am also able to do it longer without having to quit due to eyestrain and inability to focus (mentally and physically). I suspect this is the point that the question was getting at and why I voted yes...

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02-19-2009, 09:07 PM	#2
narbeauchamp Groupie Posts: 170 Karma: 98 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: New York,NY Device: PRS700BC/PRS505/TZ350N/MacBook/Aspire One/iPad/iPhone/BB 9630	So far,my vision hasn't gotten worse-and for me that is an improvement !

02-19-2009, 09:12 PM	#3
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	Eink is definitely easier on my eyes. They'll never improve though.

02-19-2009, 09:35 PM	#4
rebarnmom Wizard Posts: 1,289 Karma: 4525055 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: rural Illinois, USA Device: Sony PRS-700 (traded in), Sony PRS-650	My vision was already deteriorating. That's why I like my Reader with the larger font sizes to choose from!

02-19-2009, 09:58 PM	#5
PhishStyx The me that I am Posts: 413 Karma: 1078 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: In my house! Duh! Device: Kindle 1 & DR 1000s	I'm afraid there's little hope for my eyes to get better, but the e-ink screen does seem much less strenuous on them, which is a big plus in my . . . wait for it. . . book! (Oh god, I'm easily amused.)

02-20-2009, 05:33 PM	#7
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462841 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	What LJ said.....

02-20-2009, 11:13 PM	#8
Tattncat Bookworm Posts: 673 Karma: 1029391 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Device: Nook Tablet, Samsung Galaxy Tab3, Sony PRS700, Sony PRS505	I'll go along w/LJ, less eyestrain, but little chance of improvement.

02-21-2009, 12:20 AM	#9
Sydney's Mom Wizard Posts: 2,895 Karma: 6995721 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Idaho, on the side of a mountain Device: Kindle Oasis, Fire 3d Gen and 5th Gen and Samsung Tab S	Much less eyestrain. I look at a computer all day, and it is nice to read something that is not backlighted. Actually, my eyesight is getting better. I went from -750 to 20-20 after surgery. One eye was actually undercorrected, left at -300, so I wouldn't need reading glasses. As I age, it gets closer to 0. The monovision was a mistake, but it turned out perfectly!

02-21-2009, 07:56 AM	#10
Fledchen Guru Posts: 663 Karma: 84658 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Minnesota, USA Device: PB360+, Sony950, VR Stream, iPod Touch, iPad	I was legally blind when I bought my ebook reader, and I'm still legally blind. My vision hasn't changed. However, since I can change the font size of the book using the ebook reader, I can actually read books visually again instead of relying upon audio books. Large print paper books are large and awkward, and reading regular print with a magnifier triggers motion sickness. I vastly prefer an ebook to either of those previous options.

02-22-2009, 06:51 AM	#12
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,600 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	I believe it is easier to read, consistent font between books - tailored for me; but I seem (!) to fall asleep more frequently than I recall doing when I read pbooks - perhaps it is the lack of having to physically turn a page and grapple with the bendability of the book that is causing it. Anyone else have this problem?

02-23-2009, 12:55 PM	#15
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	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). But I'm sure that somewhere, someone must be studying the displays in a more scientific way, and will eventually provide medical data on the readability of e-ink compared to other display technologies. (If anyone knows of such a study, shout out.)

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