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Question for hn people: does e-ink vs (blue-filtered) lcd actually matter? As in, is there much indication that lcds have worse effects on eye-strain, sleep and

Question for hn people: does e-ink vs (blue-filtered) lcd actually matter? As in, is there much indication that lcds have worse effects on eye-strain, sleep and focus, as long as you the light is mostly warm.

dotancohen 2y ago
I can use my E-Ink devices all day with zero eyestrain, which are Barnes & Noble Nook devices and now a Boox device.
skydhash 2y ago
LCD screens project light on your face (and in your eyes). E-ink does not. And there's the whole sun thing (altough I rarely use my Kobo outside). I don't know about sleep and focus (I sleep easily and like a rock) but I can use my kobo without glasses, which I can only do for a short time with LCD.
- sam29681749 2y ago
  Dumb question, but isn't light being project in our face the only way we can see things? Does it have something to do with the brightness of that light or the fact that it's direct that is bad?
  - skydhash 2y ago
    I (non-expert) think that it’s the fact that it’s more about the brightness. And screens are really bright. And there’s the contrast with the surrounding environment. I’ve read that the brightness of the screen should be roughly equal to the amount of light reflected by a piece of white paper for ergonomics. E-ink is a surface illuminated by light while lcd are just light filtered and usually brighter.
giraffe_lady 2y ago
It's much more pleasant especially in very bright light like when outdoors. And this depends on the device but you usually have a much much lower minimum illumination level too. A phone or tablet on the lowest brightness still pretty much lights up a dark room while e-ink does not. Big difference if you read in bed with someone who is asleep.
- Fraterkes 2y ago
  I have used my ereader for 100s of hours, so Im inclined to agree. Im just wondering if theres much concrete proof for this feeling. Im using a backlight with my kobo most of the time, at that point is it really much different from a screen on low brightness? I guess more broadly: is all the stuff about screens specifically causing eye-strain true? When I read a paper book all day my eyes get kinda tired too. This is probably a dumb question, but why is there a significant difference between an lcd projecting light into your eyes, vs light bouncing via a bookpage into your eyes?

dotancohen 2y ago

I can use my E-Ink devices all day with zero eyestrain, which are Barnes & Noble Nook devices and now a Boox device.

skydhash 2y ago

LCD screens project light on your face (and in your eyes). E-ink does not. And there's the whole sun thing (altough I rarely use my Kobo outside). I don't know about sleep and focus (I sleep easily and like a rock) but I can use my kobo without glasses, which I can only do for a short time with LCD.

sam29681749 2y ago
Dumb question, but isn't light being project in our face the only way we can see things? Does it have something to do with the brightness of that light or the fact that it's direct that is bad?
- skydhash 2y ago
  I (non-expert) think that it’s the fact that it’s more about the brightness. And screens are really bright. And there’s the contrast with the surrounding environment. I’ve read that the brightness of the screen should be roughly equal to the amount of light reflected by a piece of white paper for ergonomics. E-ink is a surface illuminated by light while lcd are just light filtered and usually brighter.

giraffe_lady 2y ago

It's much more pleasant especially in very bright light like when outdoors. And this depends on the device but you usually have a much much lower minimum illumination level too. A phone or tablet on the lowest brightness still pretty much lights up a dark room while e-ink does not. Big difference if you read in bed with someone who is asleep.

Fraterkes 2y ago
I have used my ereader for 100s of hours, so Im inclined to agree. Im just wondering if theres much concrete proof for this feeling. Im using a backlight with my kobo most of the time, at that point is it really much different from a screen on low brightness? I guess more broadly: is all the stuff about screens specifically causing eye-strain true? When I read a paper book all day my eyes get kinda tired too. This is probably a dumb question, but why is there a significant difference between an lcd projecting light into your eyes, vs light bouncing via a bookpage into your eyes?