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Monitors for People with Poor Eyesight?
tuxbeej writes "Just recently I've been told that I may be developing keratoconus, a non-inflammatory eye condition in which the normally round dome-shaped cornea progressively thins causing a cone-like bulge to develop (thanks, NKCF!). As a result, my eyesight will get worse and it's getting harder to see on a 15" monitor. Being 22 years old and studying MIS, I've been hoping to keep my eyesight for a long, long time. Anyway, I was in the market for a new monitor and I was curious to know if anyone has done shopping for a monitor intended for someone with bad eyesight? Are there any recommended sizes, features, brands? It seems like a generic question, but I'm curious to know if certain technologies have any advantages over another or if there is a site out there that handles info like this." We had an older article about CRT's vs. LCD's.
Yeah, it's 1024x768, but it covers the whole wall. Nice contrast, no flicker... hard to see how there'd be any eye strain with that if you have it set up right (proper distance from projector to wall, and between you and wall.)
Of course, the things make a racket.
Is this truly the only Earth I can live on?
A large LCD would probably be the easiest on the eyes, if not on the wallet. If you can afford a large lcd monitor, I would go for it. Otherwise a large CRT would have to do. That said, any flat screen large monitor is kewl.
It's not just the monitor, but the environment the moniter is used in. I'm 23, and if it weren't for corrective lenses, I'd be legally blind. Now, what works best for me is a nice, flat, 21" monitor.
The flatness of the monitor works very well, since it cuts down on glare. And the nice size of the monitor lets you put some distance between you and it. If you run that big bugger in 1280x1024, you'll be doing fine.
Make sure you don't use the monitor in a darkened room often, that'll cause you problems, and if you wear glasses, it has a pretty good chance of giving you a headache. And if you sit near a window, you might want to get an anti-glare screen. Having bright spots, (either the monitor in a dark room, or glare on the screen) can cost you some vision, given enough time.
Do not be tempted to just run your video at low resolution. I would instead suggest running at a higher resolution, and use better fonts at a larger scale to read; this way they won't look so ragged. Also, anti-aliased fonts might be easier to look at as well.
Sig (appended to the end of comments you post, 120 chars)
Despite whatever nonsense the latest women's rag is spouting off...
BIGGER IS BETTER.
go for at least 19" and use 1280x1024 res... 21" would probably be better if you can afford it. I seem to be able to read better off my laptop if the text is antialiased properly (a big "if" on linux, unfortunately--the new kde is awesome for this), but i haven't had the chance to compare to a flat-panel monitor that was worth a shit. I think part of the laptop's appeal (aside from portability) is that the screen is much easier to tilt and has a wider range.
I beleive the ultimate solution is to talk to an optometrist about your situation.
:)
I was visiting one just a few months ago and I saw various information on computers and bad eyesight. They might be able to give you information of what you should look for and maybe they might have something that will help you use your computer.
I wouldn't mind a monitor that would fix my slight colour-blindness.
I have definately noticed that an LCD screen is much easier on the eyes. Less strain - more relaxing. Not sure if that would have anything to do with bad eyesight but with an LCD screen you can sit closer to it more comfortably and look at it for longer periods of time.
And bigger is always better...except for dot pitch...small is better there.
On another note with respect to bad eyesight...does anyone really use the high-contrast theme that comes with windows (the white on balck theme)?
My eye sight became worse rapidly due to LCD screens. Passive matrix LCD was much worse to your eyes than TFT( active matrix ) LCD.
i nk.html ) would help the situation.
:)
However, LCD has a light bulb behind it, and CRT monitor is also something like an light bulb.
Thus, you are basically looking at light bulbs when you use your monitors. As a result, your eye sight gets worse.
I used computers more than 15 hours/day.
So, I also hope new display technology which is not so bad for eyes.
I think this ( http://www.southern.com/natasha/stories/story_dig
You can read texts with same size on paper as those on CRT/LCD screens, can't you?
So, the digital ink would be helpful. Because it doesn't have any light bulb thing in it.
I hope that device could be introduced next year with inexpensive price tag.
I first tried hard contacts (to try to flatten the cornea) but just couldn't handle them, so I've stuck to glasses. I'm going to get a new perscription after I move (next month), after 4 years I definately need them. In my case at least having a lot of light helps.
due to my foolishness, i'm in a simlar situation (but mine is man-made - i underwent a controversial eye surgery in the late 1980's and messed up my vision pretty bad)
i have found the website http://www.surgicaleyes.org to be a good (although somewhat scary) source of info for all sorts of visually-impaired folks - ranging from surgically-induced blindness to keratoconus to corneal transplants.
check out the site - and the bulletin board - and dig around for some links on keratoconus sites and PK (corneal transplant) information.
there is a consensus that keratoconus can be put-off with a good pair of Rigid Gas-Permeable Contacts for quite some time.
also keep in mind you will bump into information about up-and-coming treatments for keratoconus - things like Keraform (an enzyme being developed to re-shape the myopic cornea) and other strange stuff.
anyhow, check it out (and dig around on their message board for strings like 'keratoconus' as well)
good luck!
(and by the way, i'm using RGP contacts to help read a 21" monitor set to about 1280x1024 - so don't rule out the well-fitted contact lens solution!)
Six years ago I was diagnosed with Kerataconus, when I was 21. It degenerated rapidly in one eye and I was required to get a cornea transplant - the symptoms in the other eye seemed to slow their degradation.
Anyway, since the transplant I have had to make adjustments to my computer using environment in order to keep my eyes sane - the single biggest improvement is using really, really big fonts that are anti-aliased. For some reason, I've also found that varying the hue of things (dark green text against beige backgrounds, etc) seems to make things easier to read. Also, though I'm sure this won't be an entirely popular suggestion, ever since I switched to Mac OSX from Linux, my eyes have improved dramatically. I have attributed it to the entirely antialiased environment, but it could easily be coincidence.
Good luck.
PS. The good news is that cornea transplants are among the most successful of transplant operations, with an average success rate of 92%. (should you need one).
It's sort of a pet-peeve of mine, but it also relates to monitor clarity.
I can't stand when people crank the brightness control up all the way on their monitors, thinking "brighter is better".
To get the maximum clarity and contrast possible with a given monitor, I recommend turning up the contrast control to around 100%. (Some monitors will draw small fonts a bit too thick or blocky like this. If so, back it off to 95% or even 90%, but probably not any lower than that.)
Then, when you have an image on your screen, you want to turn down the brightness control just far enough so the border around the image appears to be black/not lit up at all.
This combination should be much easier on the eyes. (Especially important when you're at the command line on a full screen text mode, where there's lots of black background.)
I'm using a ViewSonic flat screen,17" viewable and I'm able to see okay to do work. Of course for details in graphics, I occasionally have to get REAL close to the screen, but it seems to be working for me so far. My vision is 20/400 uncorrected in the eye that is affected. I do take A LOT of breaks, as teh brightness gets to me after a while. Opera's magnification features are a godsend. Other apps, I have set to use larger fonts, and the fairly generous screen realestate is helpful..I'll probalby shop for a larger monitor in the not too distant future...but the 17" viewable is doing me good for now.
-- oodabadabaY
I'm only 24, but looking at a monitor for too long makes my eyes burn. It's gotten worse and worse in the last few years. Finally, I traded in my 17" Sony Trintron 17sfII for a 19" ViewSonic ViewPanel VG191. It's is so much better. The strain on my eyes is considerably less. Whether it's daylight or under the crappy flouresent lights in my dorm room, I can see it better. I don't know if it the fact it's an LCD or what but I can work for a lot longer and my eyes no longer ache afterwards, even running at 1280x1024, which hasn't made things any larger. The problem is that it costs about $1000, but I must say - it was worth every penny.
P.S. I also upgraded my video card to a GeForce3 Ti 500 with a digital output. The picture isn't drastically different, but I can honestly say it is easier on the eyes than analog (I think it has to do with the way the colors are presented).
Contact your local Lions Club odds are you'll find people there who have went through what you are going through and know what worked for them. Also their experiences may be of use in other non-technical topics also (such as optometists, business opportunities you might qualify for as visually impaired, etc)
/. Different vision problems need different solutions, size isn't everything sometimes contrast means more.
You probably much better off asking there than on
I've got the same condition the article submitter has. With KC the treatments are either rigid contact lenses or cornea replacement surgery. Obviously the former is preferable to the later. (I actually got lucky and dont need any treatment yet). Glasses wont do a thing and you'll end up changing your prescription every other month.
Lots of good information (including a great forum) at www.kcenter.org but of course take everything you read online with a pinch of salt
I have trouble with passwords among other things.
There are three basic things to try:
Figure out just how far you sit from the monitor. Ask your ophthamologist to write you a prescription for glasses optimized for that distance. Explain exactly what you're using them for; he may have a better idea of what to use.
If you're having problems with chromatic aberation, which shows up as red, green, and blue colored bands around letters, get a monochrome monitor. It isn't enough to set your software to display in black and white; this has to be done in hardware.
Get a big monitor. You may want to run it at a lower resolution than it's rated for. This is especially true if you have a hard time seeing thin lines. Many programs will insist on using one-pixel thick lines; it helps if the pixels themselves are larger.
Good luck!
--Andy Hickmott
Unless you use the same lighting at home as they do in the store.
And by the time you reach your 40s, you'll invariably need reading glasses anyway; there is no escaping it. Sorry, eyes just aren't built to last.
I've already seen several optometrists and opthamologists about my condition, including an optician in Edmonton who is well-known in the community for handling people with keretoconus. With over 30 years of experience, I trust him for helping me make good decisions about my eyesight. Unfortunately, he had no suggestions about display technologies that are easier on the eyes.
My interest here is *not* in asking people for medical advice - that's why we have doctors. I wanted to find out if anyone had seen studies or had suggestions for display technologies that would be easier on my eyes. Since I had not found anything on my own, I posted the question here, since I believed there's probably a lot of people in the tech community who are young, have bad eyesight, and are seeking the same kind of solutions I am.
You're aboslutely right, though - don't take any medical advice from a forum. Always take that advice to your doctor and get their opinion. Then get *another* opinion. Especially when it comes to your eyes. We only get two, and we don't get any more.
Brendan "Beej" Dery "Only in Canada, eh?"
A company called ION Systems makes browser plugin designed to make Web browsing easier for people with vision impairment. It's called Web Eyes. It won't help you program, but it'll make reading /. a little easier. (That, and the threshold filter...)
I am a programmer. I too have extremely weak eyes. How bad? Two summers ago, I went to summer intern at a company that bought us brand new 17" SONY trinitron monitors and I ended up in the doctors'. I spend over 50% of my computer budget on monitors. (which is what EVERYONE should do.) I have spent a lot of time on this subject. Let me tell you what I find.
1. Lighting is VERY important. make sure you have ambient light.
2. the size of the monitor is also very important, but CRISPNESS is more important. You must make sure that the monitor is CRISP. You cannot really tell if a monitor is CRISP without looking at it. Two monitors with the same pitch distance can be very different when you actually look at them.
3. You MUST get them with full 3 year warranty. Monitors are so fragile, that it may be already broken during shipment, before you open the box. Monitors, especially big ones, have an extremely high lemon rate. If you spend money on a monitor and you are not satisfied with the image quality, insist on taking it back. You must move it *very* carefully.
4. LCD vs. CRT. Well. LCD technology is simply not there yet. When IBM shows me the 300dpi monitor I'll take a close look and maybe change my mind. The truth is, For the price you pay for a LCD with high quality digital signals, you'd be so better off with two beautiful 20" high end monitor. Another thing is, in Linux, you can configure 10 different resolutions, all the way from 1200x1600 to 400x600. LCDs cannot scale good. When a LCD is displaying any size that is different from it's own, it interpolates. This anti-aliasing kills your eyes because your eyes tend to think that it is out of focus.
5. Video card counts. You must get a Matrox. Make damn sure that it doesn't get under 85MHz. Better get higher rates. Hand tune your monitor carefully.
6. Monitor cables counts a lot, too. Best is high quality BNC cables, they are about $100.
7. Do yourself a favour, use OPERA as your browser. you can zoom in any size you want with your numeric keypad. Right now I'm typing in half-inch letters.
8. one thing great about two huge monitors is that you can set one of them at really low resolution, so when you switch to windows. *shame* like VC++ you can see BIG letters.
9. Picking a monitor is likely shopping for fruit. You must hand pick yours. Even the exact same model have different crispness. Pick a good one.
This is what my room looks like.
My school have 20" Trinitron monitors everywhere, but they tire my eyes. If you set up your monitor configuration correctly, you are not likely to be tired for a long long time.
What's the best CRT monitor? Well I really dislike Trinitron tubes because many of them actually flashes due to the little string that holds the grills turned lose. I heard many many good words about high end EIZO, but they are at $2000 range.
I know that you are a student, and this sounds very expensive. You must sacrifice everything else to get a good monitor setup if you want to still see in 10 years. It's also a great investment because it last longer than any other parts of your computer, Good luck.
Another huge earth quake hit Taiwan. Let's pray for them.
Thus, you are basically looking at light bulbs when you use your monitors. As a result, your eye sight gets worse. I used computers more than 15 hours/day. So, I also hope new display technology which is not so bad for eyes.
I'll bite.As a M.D., heavy computer user, and having gone through eye surgery myself, I've put a lot of reading into precisely this. I get this kind of question asked on a daily basis.
Short version: This is false. Monitors do not worsen your eyesight.
Long version: Computer display devices do not have, and they are not, light bulbs. LCD displays carry a small fluorescent tube to provide backlighting. In a CRT, as probably allThere are, however, certain things that can give you the idea that your eyesight's getting worse. Your eyes naturally focus at infinity, which means that the muscles which stretch the lens for focusing rest when you look at a far-off point (20 feet away or more).
As you grow older (and I mean from 15 years on), the lens becomes more and more rigid, and your focusing muscles must work harder to focus nearer. Ultimately, you just can not focus close enough to read (which is a normal condition) and must wear eyeglasses to do it (at 50 yrs approx).
This means that, as time goes by, you have to strain more and more to look at the screen, will see it blurry from time to time when your muscles get tired and can't focus properly (and yes, they do get tired), and might get headaches from the effort expended.
Is this is the case, an optometrist can provide eyeglasses to look at the screen with your eyes focused at infinity. Sitting farther from the computer will also help.
No