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Monitors for People with Poor Eyesight?

Posted by michael on from the D-E-F-P-O-T-E-C dept.

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.

8 of 258 comments (clear)

  1. From my experience... by Latent+IT · · Score: 5, Informative

    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.

  2. Sony FD Trinitron by PoiBoy · · Score: 5, Informative
    I have always found monitors with FD Trinitron CRT's (with the flat surface) to be especially easy to look at for extended periods of time. I have had a 19" Dell P991 monitor for well over two years, and it still looks great.

    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.

    --
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  3. hmm by AnimeFreak · · Score: 5, Informative

    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. :)

  4. I have it too. by certsoft · · Score: 5, Informative
    I was diagnosed with keratoconus in my early 20's as well. I'm now 45 and still programming. I use 17 inch screens at 1024x768 and I normally do use a larger font to make it more readable.

    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.

    1. Re:I have it too. by MsWillow · · Score: 5, Informative

      Ditto. I was diagnosed about age 17, and I'm now 42. The hard contacts work for me - they slowed it waaaay down. I've had one cornea transplant, and that eye is now, with contacts, at 20:15. The other, with contacts, is about 20:100, and without, it's 20:400 - I can't really read the "E" on top of the chart.

      I use a Hitachi SuperScan Pro 15" monitor, at 1280x1024, large fonts, and do rather well with it. A bigger monitor would be nice, but not necessary.

      Hang in there. Keratoconus is not a death sentance. It's more an annoyance than anything else.

      --

      Lemon curry?
  5. Re:Why not one of the big LCD projector dealies? by fleener · · Score: 5, Informative

    Contact your local blind support group. They will have computer resources/referrals for people with "low vision." You may not consider yourself visually impaired, but you are. They can help.

  6. Brightness adjustment is important, too! by King_TJ · · Score: 5, Informative

    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.)

  7. Contact your local Lions Club by Diamon · · Score: 5, Informative

    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)

    You probably much better off asking there than on /. Different vision problems need different solutions, size isn't everything sometimes contrast means more.