Like you, I spend long hours at the computer, including many late nights. Almost all the applications that I use have a white background, and staring at the bright screen all day can be pretty hard on my eyes.
I’ve tried changing the Windows display settings, to choose a different background colour, but haven’t found anything satisfactory. Light greys and blues are easier on my eyes, but don’t provide enough contrast, so I strain to read what’s on the screen.
Today I discovered that I might have the brightness level too high on my monitors. My setting was about 80, but the calibration information at the Photographer USA and Display Calibration sites suggest a lower setting. I’ve lowered my brightness settings to about 55, and things seem better already.
How bright is your monitor? Can you lower the setting to save your eyes?
Hi Debra
One of my online friends – who like me needs to write a lot and needs focus – recommend a free program called:
Darkroom. It reminded me of one of the first pc’s 😉
It’s a black back ground and green letters, fills your whole screen – if you want – so no distractions or other bright colours
http://they.misled.us/dark-room
Karin H. (Keep It Simple Sweetheart, specially in business)
The numbers and shades on the graduated scale, where higher numbers are darker, disagree with your text, where higher numbers are brighter.
I found an interesting yoga exercise yesterday, and I was amazed at how much better I could see afterwards.
1. Remove glasses.
2. Rub hands together to warm up your palms.
3. Close eyes, relax eye and facial muscles.
4. Cup palms over eyes so hands block out all light and warmth from palms passes to eyelids. (Don’t press your palms into your eyelids.)
5. Hold for six or so normal breaths.
Thanks for the link Karin. Have you tried Darkroom? The bright green looks kind of hard on the eyes. Brings back memories though!
Jon, you’re right — I guess that’s the contrast chart, not the brightness one. And thanks for the yoga eye refresher. It did seem to help — maybe it gets some moisture back into the eyes.
What helped even more was cleaning my glasses after I took them off! Geez, how do they get that dirty?
Hi Debra
Yes I have used it – sorry, use it 😉
Works a treat for me, and no the green isn’t hard on the eyes – not for me anyway (and better than the orange of the very old pc!)
Karin H