7 ms·

Is there any scientific research that shows clear evidence that e-ink screens are indeed better for eyes compared to LED screens in the same environment? I hav

by d3w4s9 3y ago

Is there any scientific research that shows clear evidence that e-ink screens are indeed better for eyes compared to LED screens in the same environment? I have seen such claims for many years but don't remember ever seeing any research quoted, and couldn't find any myself in my previous search. As much as I would like to believe e-ink is better (as a long time Kindle user), I hope to see something more concrete.

scythe 3y ago
Your threshold for clear evidence may vary. I found several studies, including an attempt at a randomized trial measuring the effects of screen use on the optical surface: http://doi.org/10.1111/cts.12933 http://doi.org/10.1111/cts.12933 "Effects on the Ocular Surface from Reading on Different Smartphone Screens", Yuan, K. et al, 2020 A few other studies found differing effects on blink rate and visual fatigue from different screens. http://doi.org/10.1097/OPX.0000000000001616 http://doi.org/10.1097/OPX.0000000000001616 "How do Different Digital Displays Affect the Ocular Surface", Talens-Estarelles, C. et al, 2020 In this case, screen size was also associated with detrimental effects, with larger screens generally performing worse, and smartphones similar in effect to the e-reader. This may partially account for some hitherto unexplained preference for smartphones over computers among some users. The e-reader was better than the tablet, but not better than the smartphone. The earliest study to show any effect was Benedetto et al, focusing on visual fatigue, which has been widely cited: http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083676 http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083676 "E-Readers and Visual Fatigue", Benedetto, S. et al, 2013. At least one study found statistically insignificant effects, though the e-reader showed mostly improved (but insignificant) test results, which does not weigh against the existence of an effect: http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-1313.2012.00928.x http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-1313.2012.00928.x "Reading on LCD vs e-Ink displays: effects on fatigue and visual strain", Siegenthaler, E. et al, 2012. Siegenthaler et al do not measure effects on the ocular surface; such effects seem to have reached scientific interest only in the late 2010s. Also, the difference between e-Ink and LCD peak luminance in Siegenthaler was only 10%; the ratio of ambient to screen luminance has been observed to mediate the relationship between screen usage and eye strain: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.displa.2020.101943 http://doi.org/10.1016/j.displa.2020.101943 "Influence of ambient-tablet PC luminance ratio on visual fatigue", Yu, H. and Akita, T. 2020. While I attempted to find any high-quality studies, positive or negative, available looking at the relationship between screen type and eye strain, my interpretation of the data likely reflects (hah!) my strong intuition that shining a light directly into your eyes is bad.
p-e-w 3y ago
What does "better for eyes" mean? Reading in poor lighting conditions doesn't harm the eyes, that's an unscientific myth from American parenting culture. But e-ink screens can certainly be comfortably read in bright sunlight, where even the best OLED screens are practically unusable.
- LeoPanthera 3y ago
  Whatever happened to transflective LCDs? I remember some Windows CE PDA devices had them. They were more visible in bright sunlight, and used a backlight, or sidelight, for use in the dark. I guess they went away because their color fidelity wasn't so great in the dark, but they look absolutely amazing in sunlight.
  - orlandohill 3y ago
    Transflective LCDs, a.k.a. RLCDs, are currently being sold. There are two iterations of Sun Vision Display's 32 inch monitor, and Eyemoo recently released an Android tablet with an RLCD sceen. I have the Eyemoo Epaper S1, and an very happy with it, despite a manufacturing flaw that caused a few sparkly dust specs to be between the screen layers. I use it with the built-in frontlight at 10-20% strength which is a good compromise between brightness and comfort. https://www.sunvisiondisplay.com/ https://www.sunvisiondisplay.com/ https://eyemootech.com/ https://eyemootech.com/
  - callalex 3y ago
    Thickness is another drawback I think.
  - jdietrich 3y ago
    Panasonic used to use them in the Toughbook line, but their newer machines have switched to conventional LCDs with an extremely bright backlight. IMO it's an improvement - the newer LCD looks better in all but the most extreme outdoor lighting conditions.
  - microtonal 3y ago
    Still used by GPSr units, like a bunch of Garmin models. Since they need to run for a day or more, permanently using a backlight (or OLED) is not as attractive.
mortenjorck 3y ago
I’ve never seen this preference for e-ink over LCD anywhere outside of HN, and I still don’t understand what drives it. Is it some kind of phobia of emissive illumination? I have my own problems with LCD: even modern displays have issues with uniformity and off-axis color rendition, but e-ink’s solution to those comes at a much greater cost of contrast and refresh rate.
- berkes 3y ago
  > anywhere outside of HN Did you forget the entire industry of ebooks and -readers?
  - mortenjorck 3y ago
    It’s solving a battery life problem there, not an emissive-versus-reflective problem, unless you’re someone who likes to read outdoors. I’m pretty sure 90-plus percent of the market has no preference for the tech over the LCDs of their tablets other than that they go for a long time on a single charge and the display never goes to sleep.
    - berkes 3y ago
      sorry, but [citation needed]. I highly doubt that what you say is true. When I go the homepage of e.g. Kobo e-readers, two of their four sales-points are that the reader is confortable on the eyes. Same for the kindle, where the first two points are "crisp..." and "comfortable on the eyes". I'm not saying marketing is always right, but if all e-readers are selling their devises on the merits of "being easy on the eyes", you can't just say that's not a thing for people buying them.
- barrysteve 3y ago
  Not anyone is looking for a constant stream of dopamine hits from their display. Sometime to simplify, sit and ponder and save oneself from constant visual interruption is my main preference for e-ink displays. 'Modern' computing has become pretty much intolerable for work for me. Any display that does not abuse my eyesight and can be passive like paper, is basically my go-to answer. I do not tolerate having to re-read the sentence I'm looking at because the display looks smooth, but can't hold a static representation to save it's life. My sister's macbook is gorgeous, but impossible to read text. She doesn't read as much anymore.. because of this phenomenon. Something about the display makes you stop seeing the line above and the line below the one you are currently reading, making it hard to hold a whole paragraph in your head, cause you're constantly re-scanning the same lines you didn't expect to drop. Like you're reading through a pinprick sized hole.
Al-Khwarizmi 3y ago
I find it much more tiring and unpleasant to read on a LED screen. Maybe it's irrelevant for eye health, but that's enough reason to prefer e-ink.
- amelius 3y ago
  Afaict the eink screens just reflect light, so if you just set the brightness of your LED display to a suitable setting, you should be fine. Unless you are using your screen outdoors.
  - Attrecomet 3y ago
    Easier said than done if your main source of light during the day is the sun through a window.
    - amelius 3y ago
      Ok, perhaps that is the problem then ... The Sun casting changing light/shadows during the day can be a source of eye strain.
lallysingh 3y ago
I've always found it substantially more comfortable.
lyind 3y ago
I have used an e-ink phone for messaging and reading for a few years. It really helped with occasional headaches and the general eye strain. Switching back to a regular OLED phone (because of OS/firmware security), I noticed eye strain again, after just a few days of use. Usability in sunlight and battery endurance are real advantages I miss. Waiting for a big manufacturer to design and market a secure eInk phone, targetting the people who prioritize messaging/reading/navigation over TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and the like.
GuB-42 3y ago
They are smart enough not to make any medical claim. They just say it is more comfortable and "easy" on the eyes. It is subjective, and many people agree. They don't talk about eyestrain, fatigue, sleep disruption, headaches or eye diseases. These are objectively measurable and would take scientific studies, and I think the evidence of e-ink being better from a medical standpoint is limited.

by d3w4s9 3y ago

scythe 3y ago

Your threshold for clear evidence may vary. I found several studies, including an attempt at a randomized trial measuring the effects of screen use on the optical surface: http://doi.org/10.1111/cts.12933 http://doi.org/10.1111/cts.12933 "Effects on the Ocular Surface from Reading on Different Smartphone Screens", Yuan, K. et al, 2020 A few other studies found differing effects on blink rate and visual fatigue from different screens. http://doi.org/10.1097/OPX.0000000000001616 http://doi.org/10.1097/OPX.0000000000001616 "How do Different Digital Displays Affect the Ocular Surface", Talens-Estarelles, C. et al, 2020 In this case, screen size was also associated with detrimental effects, with larger screens generally performing worse, and smartphones similar in effect to the e-reader. This may partially account for some hitherto unexplained preference for smartphones over computers among some users. The e-reader was better than the tablet, but not better than the smartphone. The earliest study to show any effect was Benedetto et al, focusing on visual fatigue, which has been widely cited: http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083676 http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083676 "E-Readers and Visual Fatigue", Benedetto, S. et al, 2013. At least one study found statistically insignificant effects, though the e-reader showed mostly improved (but insignificant) test results, which does not weigh against the existence of an effect: http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-1313.2012.00928.x http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-1313.2012.00928.x "Reading on LCD vs e-Ink displays: effects on fatigue and visual strain", Siegenthaler, E. et al, 2012. Siegenthaler et al do not measure effects on the ocular surface; such effects seem to have reached scientific interest only in the late 2010s. Also, the difference between e-Ink and LCD peak luminance in Siegenthaler was only 10%; the ratio of ambient to screen luminance has been observed to mediate the relationship between screen usage and eye strain: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.displa.2020.101943 http://doi.org/10.1016/j.displa.2020.101943 "Influence of ambient-tablet PC luminance ratio on visual fatigue", Yu, H. and Akita, T. 2020. While I attempted to find any high-quality studies, positive or negative, available looking at the relationship between screen type and eye strain, my interpretation of the data likely reflects (hah!) my strong intuition that shining a light directly into your eyes is bad.

p-e-w 3y ago

What does "better for eyes" mean? Reading in poor lighting conditions doesn't harm the eyes, that's an unscientific myth from American parenting culture. But e-ink screens can certainly be comfortably read in bright sunlight, where even the best OLED screens are practically unusable.

LeoPanthera 3y ago
Whatever happened to transflective LCDs? I remember some Windows CE PDA devices had them. They were more visible in bright sunlight, and used a backlight, or sidelight, for use in the dark. I guess they went away because their color fidelity wasn't so great in the dark, but they look absolutely amazing in sunlight.
- orlandohill 3y ago
  Transflective LCDs, a.k.a. RLCDs, are currently being sold. There are two iterations of Sun Vision Display's 32 inch monitor, and Eyemoo recently released an Android tablet with an RLCD sceen. I have the Eyemoo Epaper S1, and an very happy with it, despite a manufacturing flaw that caused a few sparkly dust specs to be between the screen layers. I use it with the built-in frontlight at 10-20% strength which is a good compromise between brightness and comfort. https://www.sunvisiondisplay.com/ https://www.sunvisiondisplay.com/ https://eyemootech.com/ https://eyemootech.com/
- callalex 3y ago
  Thickness is another drawback I think.
- jdietrich 3y ago
  Panasonic used to use them in the Toughbook line, but their newer machines have switched to conventional LCDs with an extremely bright backlight. IMO it's an improvement - the newer LCD looks better in all but the most extreme outdoor lighting conditions.
- microtonal 3y ago
  Still used by GPSr units, like a bunch of Garmin models. Since they need to run for a day or more, permanently using a backlight (or OLED) is not as attractive.

mortenjorck 3y ago

I’ve never seen this preference for e-ink over LCD anywhere outside of HN, and I still don’t understand what drives it. Is it some kind of phobia of emissive illumination? I have my own problems with LCD: even modern displays have issues with uniformity and off-axis color rendition, but e-ink’s solution to those comes at a much greater cost of contrast and refresh rate.

berkes 3y ago
> anywhere outside of HN Did you forget the entire industry of ebooks and -readers?
- mortenjorck 3y ago
  It’s solving a battery life problem there, not an emissive-versus-reflective problem, unless you’re someone who likes to read outdoors. I’m pretty sure 90-plus percent of the market has no preference for the tech over the LCDs of their tablets other than that they go for a long time on a single charge and the display never goes to sleep.
  - berkes 3y ago
    sorry, but [citation needed]. I highly doubt that what you say is true. When I go the homepage of e.g. Kobo e-readers, two of their four sales-points are that the reader is confortable on the eyes. Same for the kindle, where the first two points are "crisp..." and "comfortable on the eyes". I'm not saying marketing is always right, but if all e-readers are selling their devises on the merits of "being easy on the eyes", you can't just say that's not a thing for people buying them.
barrysteve 3y ago
Not anyone is looking for a constant stream of dopamine hits from their display. Sometime to simplify, sit and ponder and save oneself from constant visual interruption is my main preference for e-ink displays. 'Modern' computing has become pretty much intolerable for work for me. Any display that does not abuse my eyesight and can be passive like paper, is basically my go-to answer. I do not tolerate having to re-read the sentence I'm looking at because the display looks smooth, but can't hold a static representation to save it's life. My sister's macbook is gorgeous, but impossible to read text. She doesn't read as much anymore.. because of this phenomenon. Something about the display makes you stop seeing the line above and the line below the one you are currently reading, making it hard to hold a whole paragraph in your head, cause you're constantly re-scanning the same lines you didn't expect to drop. Like you're reading through a pinprick sized hole.

Al-Khwarizmi 3y ago

I find it much more tiring and unpleasant to read on a LED screen. Maybe it's irrelevant for eye health, but that's enough reason to prefer e-ink.

amelius 3y ago
Afaict the eink screens just reflect light, so if you just set the brightness of your LED display to a suitable setting, you should be fine. Unless you are using your screen outdoors.
- Attrecomet 3y ago
  Easier said than done if your main source of light during the day is the sun through a window.
  - amelius 3y ago
    Ok, perhaps that is the problem then ... The Sun casting changing light/shadows during the day can be a source of eye strain.

lallysingh 3y ago

I've always found it substantially more comfortable.

lyind 3y ago

I have used an e-ink phone for messaging and reading for a few years. It really helped with occasional headaches and the general eye strain. Switching back to a regular OLED phone (because of OS/firmware security), I noticed eye strain again, after just a few days of use. Usability in sunlight and battery endurance are real advantages I miss. Waiting for a big manufacturer to design and market a secure eInk phone, targetting the people who prioritize messaging/reading/navigation over TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and the like.

GuB-42 3y ago

They are smart enough not to make any medical claim. They just say it is more comfortable and "easy" on the eyes. It is subjective, and many people agree. They don't talk about eyestrain, fatigue, sleep disruption, headaches or eye diseases. These are objectively measurable and would take scientific studies, and I think the evidence of e-ink being better from a medical standpoint is limited.