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I keep reading that reading stuff on a paper or e-ink display is easier on the eyes than a monitor. Certainly makes sense if the comparison is to a CRT but comp

by jcfrei 5y ago

I keep reading that reading stuff on a paper or e-ink display is easier on the eyes than a monitor. Certainly makes sense if the comparison is to a CRT but compared to a standard LCD? Are there any medical studies that confirm this? As far as I know modern life exposes us to far little brightness, causing myopia for a lot of people. If anything a very bright backlight display should probably be better for our eyes...

vbezhenar 5y ago
I don't think that's true as long as you provide healthy lightning. Light is light, doesn't matter whether it came from the sun or from backlight lamp. E-ink obviously is preferable when you're reading in the direct sun light, because LCD could be barely visible in those conditions.
- rlkf 5y ago
  Light from the sun contains a much greater number of wavelengths (and different depending on time of day) than that from the backlight; it's not the same.
- tzs 5y ago
  One significant difference is that with e-ink you can provide healthy lighting. With an LCD display you are stuck with whatever backlighting is built in.
illwrks 5y ago
I think it comes down to emitted light vs reflected light. If you're looking into an LCD panel and the light it's emitting is not adjusted to match the environment you're in, too bright or too dull, then you will strain your eyes. With an e-ink screen, anything printed, or even a cinema screen, it doesn't usually emit light and therefore relies on the light emitted from other things around you to reflect off of the surface, illuminating the surface of the thing you're looking at. This is more natural and provides less strain on your eyes. On a personal preference side of things, I can't look at bright sources in the evening. My wife is a terror for looking at her phone at 100% brightness, it's blinding if she hands it to me to look at. Where as my devices are setup to dim and be as low as possible in the evening, even the profile on the TV.
tluyben2 5y ago
I work a lot in the sun (even in the shade here there is a lot of sun) and a lot of times I have to get inside to do any work as normal LCD is simply not readable. While eInk is readable like, well, paper. So works fine in sun and shade.

by jcfrei 5y ago

vbezhenar 5y ago

I don't think that's true as long as you provide healthy lightning. Light is light, doesn't matter whether it came from the sun or from backlight lamp. E-ink obviously is preferable when you're reading in the direct sun light, because LCD could be barely visible in those conditions.

rlkf 5y ago
Light from the sun contains a much greater number of wavelengths (and different depending on time of day) than that from the backlight; it's not the same.
tzs 5y ago
One significant difference is that with e-ink you can provide healthy lighting. With an LCD display you are stuck with whatever backlighting is built in.

illwrks 5y ago

I think it comes down to emitted light vs reflected light. If you're looking into an LCD panel and the light it's emitting is not adjusted to match the environment you're in, too bright or too dull, then you will strain your eyes. With an e-ink screen, anything printed, or even a cinema screen, it doesn't usually emit light and therefore relies on the light emitted from other things around you to reflect off of the surface, illuminating the surface of the thing you're looking at. This is more natural and provides less strain on your eyes. On a personal preference side of things, I can't look at bright sources in the evening. My wife is a terror for looking at her phone at 100% brightness, it's blinding if she hands it to me to look at. Where as my devices are setup to dim and be as low as possible in the evening, even the profile on the TV.

tluyben2 5y ago

I work a lot in the sun (even in the shade here there is a lot of sun) and a lot of times I have to get inside to do any work as normal LCD is simply not readable. While eInk is readable like, well, paper. So works fine in sun and shade.