Using a laptop is not without its problems as there can be side effects such as eye strain. Due to this side effect, there have been several questions as to which laptop screen can reduce eye strain.
To be frank, there is no specific laptop screen which can reduce eye strain. Instead, what you can look out for in the process of purchasing a system is the components of the laptop screen.
These components include:
- Screen display
- Screen finish
But if you have already purchased a laptop, there are some preventive measures you can take during use to prevent eye strain.
How to Prevent Eye Strain When Using a Laptop
Purchasing a laptop without doing proper research on the screen properties can lead to constant eye strain. However, this does not mean you cannot find a way around it. With the following tips, you can reduce the level of discomfort on your eyes during the use of your PC.
Improve Your Posture
The way your body is positioned during the use of a laptop can lead to eye strain. According to an article by the American Occupational Safety and Health Association, the placement of the laptop and the posture of the body can affect the eyes.
That is, if the display screen is above or below the eye level, this affects how you make use of your laptop and in turn has adverse effects.
..using a table or stack of books to raise the screen to the eye reduces the strain…
Instead of slouching your body or craning your neck use the laptop, using a table or stack of books to raise the screen to the eye reduces the strain. On the other hand, if you have a chair that is lower than the desk, change it for another one that you can increase its height.
20-20-20 Rule
This is basically a rule on how to use your laptop. These are the steps to take:
- Here, you are meant to look at your screen for only a period of 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, look for an object at least 20 feet from your screen
- Stare at the object for only 20 seconds.
- Keep doing this at intervals of 20 minutes and it will help relieve the strain on your eyes.
However, we know how hard it is to keep track of the 20-minute rule, but if you have set an alarm on Windows or reminder in place, this can be achieved. Check out this article on how to turn your PC into an alarm clock.
Adjust the Settings of Your PC
Tweaking the settings of your PC is another way to guard against eye strain. Sometimes, the brightness or contrast level of your system can be set too high or too low. Changing them to the optimum setting should help if not totally alleviate the problem.
Check out this article on how to calibrate your laptop monitor and adjust display settings.
Features Of a Laptop Screen That Can Reduce Eye Strain
In order to prevent eye strain, you need to:
- Know the properties within your laptop that can cause it
- Ensure that the new laptop you want to purchase has features that guard against it.
Features a Laptop That Cause Eye Strain
The following are the features of a laptop that can cause eye strain:
Glare
Glare from the laptop screen can irritate the eyes and also affect your mood. If the light is cast directly at the eyes, it will cause eye strain. Therefore, to prevent it, either purchase a laptop with pre-installed anti-glare or place anti-reflective protectors over the screen.
Flickering Display
A light source is needed to display content on the screen. In most laptops, the type of display panel used is LED. The panel has to maintain light intensity and the only way to achieve that is by switching the light on and off.
The constant flicker of the lights can lead to eye strain. The duration of this flicker is called the refresh rate. A laptop with a high refresh rate is able to diminish the flickers.
Features of a Laptop To Check During Purchase to Guard Against Eye Strain
Display Panel
..Some screen displays can cause discomfort while others make it easier to work with your PC…
The first thing you ought to look out for when purchasing a laptop is the type of display panel. Some screen displays can cause discomfort while others make it easier to work with your PC.
In laptops, the most common panel to find is LCD. LCD is an acronym for liquid crystal display. More often than not, you will see an LCD panel with LED (light-emitting diode) which is a different method of backlighting a PC.
LCD display panels come in various types which each type contributing or reducing eye strain.
| S/N | LCD Screen Type | Pros | Cons |
| 1 | TN Panels | Fast refresh rateFast response timeGreat for gamingCheap | Poor viewing angles which can cause eye strainPoor contrast and color |
| 2 | VA Panels | Produces better color than TN panelsHas better viewing angles than TN panels. | More expensive than TN panelsSlow refresh rateSlow response timeNot commonly used in gaming PCs. |
| 3 | IPS Panels | Better viewing angles than all LCDsCrystal alignment always lines up the viewer’s eye level thereby reducing eye strainLess bright | Refresh rate is slower than TN panelsResponse time is slower than TN panels |
| 4 | OLED Panels | Great contrast ratioNo risk of light bleeding through the screen | ExpensiveSlow refresh rateColor molecules degrade quickly thereby affecting screen brightness over a period of use. |
Screen Finish
A screen finish is simply the coating applied to the screen. The most popular screen finishes include matte and gloss.
Matte Screen Finish
A matte screen surface is an applied finish during the manufacturing process that diffuses ambient light rather than reflecting ambient light back to the viewer, resulting in a reduced glare and what is commonly marketed as an ‘Anti-Glare’ screen among best selling laptop computers.
| Pros | Cons |
| Light scattering and anti-reflective coating help to reduce screen glare. | Dull display |
| It is easier to look at the screen for long intervals without feeling eye strain. | Not commonly used in touchscreen laptops |
| Coating prevents fingerprint marks | |
| Reduced screen reflections |
Glossy Screen Finish
A glossy screen surface is curated to have a smooth outer layer that reflects ambient light directly back to the viewer rather than diffusing it, ultimately resulting in a higher glare.
Some laptop users prefer the glossy surface because the light emitted from the screen creates more vibrant and in depth image viewing capabilities.
| Pros | Cons |
| Vibrant display quality | Constant screen reflections |
| Leaves fingerprint marks | |
| No anti glare on screen thereby leading to eye strain |
Examples of Laptops That Prevent Eye Strain
They include:
- HP EliteBook 840 G5: has a good contrast ratio, matte display, and bright backlight display for long periods of use.
- Dell XPS 15 9570 (FHD): bright backlight and matte finish make it a good laptop for any lighting environment.
- Apple MacBook Pro 15: the only flaw in the display is its glossy finish.
Can the Screen Resolution of a Laptop Cause Eye Strain?
Yes, the screen resolution of a laptop can affect the eyes. This is mostly common when the display screen of the laptop is quite small thereby affecting the alignment of the display with the eye level. Therefore, when possible always opt for a laptop with a larger resolution.
Conclusion
Staring at your laptop screen for long intervals can lead to eye strain. This side effect is easily avoidable if you put in place preventive measures such as the use of anti-glare goggles and screen protectors.
However, you can also prevent it from the onset by ensuring that the laptop you purchase has inherent features which guard against it.
Very helpful article, thank you.
I recently purchased a surface pro 7 i5 8gig ram, 128. It was not as easy to read on as my 2017 Dell Inspiron i7, 16 gig ram 2 in 1, which had just died. An hour after set up, it demanded to be upgraded. After that, it was quite blurry, especially on system screens & in MS Word, but also reading online. I couldn’t find any help at the store where I got it, so I returned it but I LOVED the design. I couldn’t read on it for more than 10 minutes without eyestrain or headaches.
Now I’m thinking about the HP Spectre 360 4K 13″, i5, 8gig ram. I don’t like the shape of the screen or the build as well, but it has a 4K display.
I noticed at the store that all of the PCs seem to have blurrier lower contrast font since the windows 10 update, especially in some areas of the ribbon on Word. I read about registry fixes for that.
My questions… These are small displays. Is there really going to be less eye strain on a 4K screen than on a pixel sense screen? Is there a way to set up the Surface Pro 7 to have clearer contrast in the fonts? (I tried choosing fonts, adjusting font size, clear type, increasing magnification. These didn’t help across the board.) I saw articles online about making adjustments in the registry to make font clearer in Windows 10, but that was after I returned the surface. Do any of these work?
The HP Spectre 4K 13″ system screen has a black background with white letters. It’s very easy to read. I saw a page that gives options like that on the Surface Pro 7 but they did nothing to improve contrast & they didn’t look as good. Is that setting unique to the HP Spectre?
Between the HP Spectre 4K 365 i5 with 8 gigs of ram & the Surface pro 7 i5 with 8 gigs of ram, which would you choose? I need it for lots of online research, very high detailed productivity in Word & Excel, & I want to be able to draw on schematics. The Surface Pro 7 was $649 recently plus $99 for the keyboard. The spectre is $949 right now. I like the build best on the Surface & I was hoping to keep the price down. But if I will get less eye strain on the HP, I will have to spend extra.
Another idea: Get an external monitor for home & get the surface pro 7. Is there an affordable external monitor that will reduce eye strain?
For me the issue seems to be glare & contrast. Size isn’t that much of a factor, although I blow things up more when contrast is poor. I can read for hours for instance on a small outdated iPad.
Thanks so much!
Hi Priya, Did you ever find a solution. I’m having this issue with Macs and am searching for a screen that doesn’t cause headaches and eye strain. I also like the idea of using the laptop to go and an easy on the eyes monitor for a lot of reading at home. Thanks.
Hi.
Yes, I have solved the problem. I have 5% headache and eye strain after 12 hours PC usage.
Buy monitors with EyeCare or TUV Certified feature. I have BenQ GW2480 model. I’m using the same monitor to respond. I’m unable to use my laptops anymore without headache and eye strain.
Nonetheless, you should go for EyeCare or TUV Certified monitors.
Thanks.
Try Zero Eye Strain magnetic screen from StillerSafe website or amazon. These are customized and tested and certified by SGS labs to protect your eyes from dry eyes. It reduces 70% of strain on eyes and protect your eyes from red eyes and dry eyes.
Also reduces stress and migraine issues at work place.
It is specially designed for people who use a laptop for a long time and protect their eyes from dry eyes syndrome.
Plus it is Magentic, easily removable.
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