Why do I get blurry eyes using modern computers?

I've noticed that using the older Mac or Dell laptops I have lying around, I feel no effect on my eyes after extended use.

BUT, after using the Dell XPS or ThinkPad SL400 I get blurry vision ...




Shouldn't screens be getting easier on the eyes not harder?

 

did you buy a higher resolution screen/?

 

Maybe turn brightness down? CHange some settings, like contrast or Gamma? Lower resolution?

 

Are the old ones matte??

 

hey i feel the same blurred vision when i used to stare at glossy screens for too long. is there any solution to prevent that other than resting eyes? i don't find the problem with t500 screen

 

Both of the new ones are Glossy and LED right? I have heard some people complain of headaches and the like as result of this. I think your older Mac and Dell both have matte CCFL (just like the T500).

I would suggest adjusting screen brightness, and/or adjusting the lights in the room to cut down on reflections.

 

This is the 14.1" WXGA VibrantView
The XPS was LED superbright

I turn both down as dull as they can go but it doesn't seem to make any difference. It doesn't take long to get blurred vision.

The old dell I'm not sure... it's very old. Latitude X200
The Mac is a G4 iBook.
You can use them both all day long without any effect at all.

 

The old ones are definitely CCFL matte. The Dell is a LED gloss, and the SL400 is gloss as well (not sure if it's LED).

My suggestion stands, adjust room lighting to see if that helps.

If it doesn't you are probably sensitive to LED and/or glossy screens, so you should try and get a CCFL matte (e.g. the x200, some T400/T500 & R400/R500, or the T60/61 & R60/61) if at all possible.

 

Yeah it appears that some people are more sensitive to the reflections in a glossy screen. I had similar problems. As soon as I went back to a non-reflective (matte) screen I was fine.

As an experiment you can try sitting in a spot for a while where you get absolutely zero reflections on the screen (you may have to adjust where you are sitting and so on). Now use the computer for a while and see if your eyes do a bit better. If yes then you probably need to switch computers... at least that's what I did and it helped a lot. You could get any of the thinkpads that start with T, R, X, or W.

You could also get a matte screen filter (a piece of film that you put on the screen) to cut down the glare. Probably not as good as a real matte screen because the film can be hard to apply perfectly, but if you can't do a new computer right now it would be another option.

Good luck and take care of your eyes! Easier to get a new computer than new eyes....