The majority of the research out there does not support dark mode being better for your eyes. Generally, you only experience additional eye strain from a screen when the brightness of the screen is different from surrounding light conditions. So if you want to reduce strain, use brighter screens in bright daylight and dimmer screens in a dark room.
However, the research also indicates that it is easier for most people to focus on text when it is dark text on a light background. This is especially true for people with astigmatism (about 1/3 of Americans).
So, kindly leave your default dark mode off my sites. Thanks.
True. Updated the last sentence of my comment slightly. I suspect most people who use the Internet are not basement dwelling trolls and therefore probably are typically in brighter surroundings.
Amber on dark grey inactive phosphor (or dark amber depending on how you fiddled with the brightness).
I wonder how much OLED and “true black” displays have contributed to eye strain in recent times. Bright text and absolute black display might be good for vision/clarity but is it good for long term use?
LCDs do not stay off for black. LCDs fill the entire back with bright white light and then shutter off pixels to make them black. The energy used between displaying white (the backlight) and displaying black is basically the same.
There’s no difference between the light reflected off a page or emitted from a screen. It’s all photons stimulating cells in your eyes. Your eyes are fucked up because you’re getting older.
Paper vs display at same intensity and colour, sure. But there’s other differences like actual brightness, contrast ratios, colour temperature, etc. which can have subtle effects. I believe one of the biggest issues in terms of eye strain is when you have a display that’s brighter than the surrounding area, and lower contrast/resolution. I feel like the benefit of dark mode is less about the total light emitted, but when the brightness is from the text instead of the blank area around the text it’s more readable because you’re not trying to read through the glare of the background.
Dark Mode anything gives me headaches in sub 10 minutes, so I really can’t agree with this comment.
I did a report in college on eye strain and, at least at the time, most findings seemed to support that dark mode lends itself to greater eye strain. That was 12+ years ago though.
I also have astigmatism, so that may play into my issues with dark mode.
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The majority of the research out there does not support dark mode being better for your eyes. Generally, you only experience additional eye strain from a screen when the brightness of the screen is different from surrounding light conditions. So if you want to reduce strain, use brighter screens in bright daylight and dimmer screens in a dark room.
However, the research also indicates that it is easier for most people to focus on text when it is dark text on a light background. This is especially true for people with astigmatism (about 1/3 of Americans).
So, kindly leave your default dark mode off my sites. Thanks.
But the first comment was in all caps, so I don’t know who to believe
Or people should have an option.
True. Updated the last sentence of my comment slightly. I suspect most people who use the Internet are not basement dwelling trolls and therefore probably are typically in brighter surroundings.
I love dark mode, but this is right.
Loved the old amber screen VT220 terminals.
Amber on dark grey inactive phosphor (or dark amber depending on how you fiddled with the brightness).
I wonder how much OLED and “true black” displays have contributed to eye strain in recent times. Bright text and absolute black display might be good for vision/clarity but is it good for long term use?
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Doesn’t paper reflect light when it’s white? If it absorbed it, it’d appear black.
Paper reflects light for white, ink absorbs light for black.
OLED and CRT screens stay off for black, use power for light.
LCD screens keep the backlight on all the time, only hide it for color/black.
E-ink works like paper… but has low refresh rates and the displays tend to break somewhat easily.
If we all used dark mode on OLED screens, we could save maybe 0.0000001% of energy, making everything “more sustainable”.
LCDs do not stay off for black. LCDs fill the entire back with bright white light and then shutter off pixels to make them black. The energy used between displaying white (the backlight) and displaying black is basically the same.
OLED is a bit more complex.
Paper reflects existing light, but backlit screens emit it like a torch.
You are right though, paper doesn’t absorb it unless it’s coloured in any way
Using light mode is like putting a lamp facing upwards underneath a frosted glass table and reading some paper on that table.
There’s no difference between the light reflected off a page or emitted from a screen. It’s all photons stimulating cells in your eyes. Your eyes are fucked up because you’re getting older.
Paper vs display at same intensity and colour, sure. But there’s other differences like actual brightness, contrast ratios, colour temperature, etc. which can have subtle effects. I believe one of the biggest issues in terms of eye strain is when you have a display that’s brighter than the surrounding area, and lower contrast/resolution. I feel like the benefit of dark mode is less about the total light emitted, but when the brightness is from the text instead of the blank area around the text it’s more readable because you’re not trying to read through the glare of the background.
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But how would the designers print off the page to show their boss?
Dark Mode anything gives me headaches in sub 10 minutes, so I really can’t agree with this comment.
I did a report in college on eye strain and, at least at the time, most findings seemed to support that dark mode lends itself to greater eye strain. That was 12+ years ago though.
I also have astigmatism, so that may play into my issues with dark mode.
Some people with astigmatism are affected by dark mode. Look up the “halation effect”.
Redditors losing to light lmfaoooo your ancestors must be so proud
Actually your eyes work better if you provide more light… lol
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