Other Eye-strain while using iPhone X and up

[matthijst]

Kinda strange that people have different experience with different OLED model phones. Think someone mentioned he could use the X but not the newer ones, but the X had worst pwm of all of them?
Wondering if it's related to something else. I find the oled displays harder to read than my old 8+. As if text had less contrast, for instance when you read this forum on the phone.
Don't have the 14 pro yet (later this week, but curious if the headaches will be back.

 

[Evilxardas]

Kinda strange that people have different experience with different OLED model phones. Think someone mentioned he could use the X but not the newer ones, but the X had worst pwm of all of them?
Wondering if it's related to something else. I find the oled displays harder to read than my old 8+. As if text had less contrast, for instance when you read this forum on the phone.
Don't have the 14 pro yet (later this week, but curious if the headaches will be back.

I am. Consider that i can use also the pixel 4A and Samsung A52 both of them have PWM at low frequency. This is the first OLED in my life that give me problems (i have also an LG B8 and in the past, i had used S2 and Galaxy Nexus). Anyway the screen of the 14P seems to be washed out compared to the X and other phones. Maybe my problem can be related to the variable refresh rate that is not stable at 120hz or i don't know.. i had problems also with the MBA 2018 and MBP 16" 2019, also with some windows PC after windows updates, so in that case was a software problem not hardware and this is why my iphone X still using ios 14, i am scared to update!

 

[CaraMia]

Hi everyone,

I joined specifically for this thread. It’s been a relief to see I’m not alone with this issue, so thank you to you all for compiling all this information and sharing your experiences - it’s so helpful.

I managed to avoid having issues with the OLED screens on the iPhone until I tried the iPhone 13 Mini last year. I didn’t have the eye strain or migraines that many of you suffer, I instead had severe nausea when using the phone. It got so bad that I had to get my mother to erase the phone for me so I could send it back, as I couldn’t look at the screen without feeling extremely nauseous.

She now has the iPhone 13 Pro and I have the exact same issues with the screen on that too. It’s insane.

Strangely enough, I’m perfectly fine using the iPhone 12 and the 12 Mini (and all the iPhones that came before it). Im devastated that Apple is no longer making the 12 Mini as mine really need replacing, but after reading the last few pages, there’s no way I’m even attempting the iPhone 14. I think the issue for me is how quickly the newer phone screens move - it makes me feel carsick.

I’m so put off by this whole OLED issue that I mostly use my iPad nowadays. I wish Apple would make a phone with an LCD screen in the main lineup, but if worst comes to worst, I’ll be moving to the SE once the iPhone 12 is discontinued.

I’m trying to figure out who can be spoken to about this and how, so that those of us in this position - fans of Apple, that want to use the iPhone but can’t - get to indulge in the luxury and excitement of using the newest tech too. It’s a first world problem, sure, but all we’re asking is to be able to join in on the fun!

I look forward to talking with you all on here and I hope we manage to find some sort of solution!

 

[JM]

Yeah I got that, too. The call center was down. The chat was down. And the problem was I had absolutely no service. Literally I typed that, and the chat said please CALL back during normal business hours. Wow.

Verizon call center gave up from all the people calling with esim issues 😆

 

[Squeak825]

I’m trying to figure out who can be spoken to about this and how, so that those of us in this position - fans of Apple, that want to use the iPhone but can’t - get to indulge in the luxury and excitement of using the newest tech too. It’s a first world problem, sure, but all we’re asking is to be able to join in on the fun!

I hate to be a buzz kill, but everyone at Apple that has any power to do anything about this already knows about the issues, and are purposefully choosing not to address it. They know they chose the downside of PWM when they calculated the upsides to using OLED screens.

But until they move to a fundamentally different display technology, it’s gonna be a bit of a cat and mouse game as they try to tweak the frequencies to minimize the impact, but knowing that it won’t help everybody.

 

[iCantSee]

We need more people giving their experiences with the iPhone 14 - If the 1040hz PWM is to be believed it's the best option we have - The clear consensus is the iPhone 14 Pro/Max is still causing issues as the PWM Refresh is still too low - From what I've gathered from a couple of people so far is the 14 is just high enough to not cause major issues however we need a larger sample size - can't find any other PWM videos of the iPhone 14, so if anyone comes across them please, do post here

The 14 pro was hands down causing the least issues for me at the Apple store. Difficult to look at the other 2. I’m ordering it and gonna try to use it for a bit. Will report back.

 

[5105973]

I’ve noticed this too. With True Tone off text seems much clearer to me. Less blurry. I’m going to do some more testing, toggling it on and off more often for the next couple of days.

Changing back and forth gives me a quick headache (comes then goes away after a minute). Staying with True Tone is okay. Which is what I had yesterday. Staying with it off is better.

My first sensation of turning off True Tone was a full release of any tight feeling in the eyes. For the ladies, it’s the difference between bra on and bra off. 🤣

I’ve been reading the news and catching up on emails all morning. (About 2.5 hours so far). So far, so good as far as headaches go.

The only issues of focusing difficulties are the same ones I face with LCD and that’s because I am nearsighted with progressive lenses and I’ll get fatigue reading through my glasses and have to take them off and bring the display closer to my face then get fatigued with that and put my glasses on again. lol it’s just me being old!

I hope this one’s a keeper. It’s so far been similar to how it was for me with my 12 Pro Max, which was a successful pairing, minus the green screen defect, which this display thankfully is free of. My husband said I complained of feeling seasick on my 13 Pro almost immediately and he noticed I haven’t complained on this phone.

One thing I’m noticing now is the white shimmer that’s been taking up about one quarter of the left side of my vision in my left eye has diminished since I started using this phone and now is gone as of this morning. I wasn’t sure if that had been caused by LCD use but given that it appeared when I switched from iPhone 11 Pro to SE2, disappeared when I went to iPhone 12 mini and Pro Max, came back with iPhone XR, 11 and SE3 along with Nintendo Switch use both times, I’m going to have to face ice cold facts that LCD is not a panacea for my display woes, either. It just gives me a different issue. OLED can give me migraines. LCD can cause whatever the hell the white shimmer is. Sigh.

I don’t know if doctors will be able to explain the white shimmer. My husband says he had it once for a month or so. I’ve done some searching and some people do have this happen to them but didn’t get any answers. So at least I know I’m not crazy. But I don’t really know what’s going on. But how does OLED make it seem to go away? I don’t know.

 

[5105973]

The 14 pro was hands down causing the least issues for me at the Apple store. Difficult to look at the other 2. I’m ordering it and gonna try to use it for a bit. Will report back.

Good luck! You know we’re all rooting for you. There’s definitely a chance.

 

[dstow]

Zollotech iPhone 14 Review - PWM flicker present in slow mo - None of this makes sense

 

[Squeak825]

Zollotech iPhone 14 Review - PWM flicker present in slow mo - None of this makes sense

What part of it doesn’t make sense? There should be no surprise that there is still PWM present.

 

[dstow]

What part of it doesn’t make sense? There should be no surprise that they’re still PWM present.

The fact the iPhone 14 has been reported to have the highest PWM freq out of the whole line-up, but displaying flicker in slow motion unlike the iPhone 14 Pro/Max

 

[iCantSee]

The fact the iPhone 14 has been reported to have the highest PWM freq out of the whole line-up, but displaying flicker in slow motion unlike the iPhone 14 Pro/Max

The thing is we don’t really know how true those figures are. Was kinda a sketchy source, so we need to wait for more testing. I can tell you looking at iPhone 14 regular for me felt basically like looking at an iPhone X. Or put another way, like staring into the sun on a hot summer day in Arizona.

 

[Squeak825]

The fact the iPhone 14 has been reported to have the highest PWM freq out of the whole line-up, but displaying flicker in slow motion unlike the iPhone 14 Pro/Max

Not seeing the flickering on the Pro is not a function of it not being there, or being higher, or lower.

If the recording camera didn’t pick it up in slow motion, it’s because its shutter speed was synced up perfectly with the pulse frequency of the display phone, so it appears to disappear. kind of how you can find videos of helicopter blades appearing not to move at all.

Take that same video again with another random start time, and then the flicker will show up.

 

[dstow]

I can't face the fact we have a whole new line-up of aneurysm causing iPhones for another year - The hype train has de-railed and fallen apart into a cesspit of underwhelming displeasure

 

[1369281]

Looking for flickering in slo-mo videos to identify whether PWM exists is an unreliable approach. I would not put much stock into that. There are many factors in play. Rest assured, all iPhone 14 generation displays use PWM.

 

[jimmy_uk]

After feeling like crap all day Saturday after using the 14 Pro for an evening, I'm now using the standard 14. I can't bring myself to risk using the 14P after how bad it made me feel.

Like before, my eyes are not complaining and zero brain twinges yet. No motion sickness burping that I felt using the standard 13 last year, so something has changed. I am seeing a bit of shimmer with micro movements of my hand. Will see how I feel tomo although I'm not confident....

The 14 is definitely the poor cousin:
• Notch is much more noticeable compared to the pill cutout.
• No dynamic island fun/features.
• Glossy glass back is a smudge fest compared to the frosted glass. Not nice on the hands when it gets greasy from normal use.

Postivies:
• While the display is yellower than the reddish 14 pro I have in hand, it doesn't colour shift at an angle as quick and it remains brighter when tilted.
• At max brightness the 14 looks brighter than the 14 Pro!
• The lighter body is appreciated (although I would still prefer Plus/Pro Max for wider display).
• Smaller camera module allows me to rest my fingers higher.

 

[Squeak825]

I can't face the fact we have a whole new line-up of aneurysm causing iPhones for another year - The hype train has de-railed and fallen apart into a cesspit of underwhelming displeasure

I feel your pain, literally. I would really like a new phone as well, but I’ve resigned myself to the fact that until Apple moves away from OLED screens completely, I’m stuck with older LCD phones.

 

[1369281]

Let's brainstorm ideas for how to create change.

1. Insist MacRumors and other Apple news sites write a story about this topic.
2. Get as many people as we can to send "Feedback" to Apple: https://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone/
3. Create a petition and get as many signatures as possible: https://www.change.org/p/apple-add-...train-and-support-vision-disability-sufferers
4. More extreme: Contact legislators and insist they create laws for minimum PWM frequencies in consumer displays.

 

[JM]

Not seeing the flickering on the Pro is not a function of it not being there, or being higher, or lower.

If the recording camera didn’t pick it up in slow motion, it’s because its shutter speed was synced up perfectly with the pulse frequency of the display phone, so it appears to disappear. kind of how you can find videos of helicopter blades appearing not to move at all.

Take that same video again with another random start time, and then the flicker will show up.

Haha, what if Apple matched the rate of flicker with the slomo rate just so it wouldn’t show up in anymore YouTube videos? 🤣

Wait a minute…. They wouldn’t do that. Would they? 🫣

If y’all don’t hear from me again, the Apple marketing team has gotten me. Send my love to the Mrs. 🫡

 

[john g.]

Status update for me and the iPhone 14 Pro.

I have not initiated a return yet…but the writing may be on the wall. For now, I’m switching the SIM back to my 11 and have that be my primary while I still goof around on the 14 for a bit.

I still don’t have any headaches, just motion sickness nausea and some eye strain.

This version of the Apple OLED screen seems the most tolerable for me, but I’m leaning towards not spending $1000 on tolerating something.

My iPhone 11 still works pretty well and I don’t really have 5G that’s usable in my area so I am on LTE with the 14 anyways

If my 11 didn’t work well still, I would probably be able to make friends with this phone but I’m just going be patient I think and stay on the 11 and see what the SE plus might offer.

Then there’s always the iPhone 15?

Sigh.

I’m with Michael SD, the iPhone 13 mini was the ultimate phone. With an LCD it would be great but the OLED was fantastic if they could get it not to flicker and cause problems.

Oh one more thing, I really did like the dynamic island and I will probably miss that a bit.

 

[badger1212]

Status update for me and the iPhone 14 Pro.

I have not initiated a return yet…but the writing may be on the wall. For now, I’m switching the SIM back to my 11 and have that be my primary while I still goof around on the 14 for a bit.

I still don’t have any headaches, just motion sickness nausea and some eye strain.

This version of the Apple OLED screen seems the most tolerable for me, but I’m leaning towards not spending $1000 on tolerating something.

My iPhone 11 still works pretty well and I don’t really have 5G that’s usable in my area so I am on LTE with the 14 anyways

If my 11 didn’t work well still, I would probably be able to make friends with this phone but I’m just going be patient I think and stay on the 11 and see what the SE plus might offer.

Then there’s always the iPhone 15?

Sigh.

I’m with Michael SD, the iPhone 13 mini was the ultimate phone. With an LCD it would be great but the OLED was fantastic if they could get it not to flicker and cause problems.

Oh one more thing, I really did like the dynamic island and I will probably miss that a bit.

Totally agree with this. This is the longest I’ve been able to use an Apple oled phone but do now have eye pain, nausea and motion sickness. At £1099 it’s too much to pay for a phone that gives me issues. I am a heavy user (normally 6-7 hours screen time per day though a lot of that is controlling Spotify songs) and I wonder if heavy users are affected more. The weird thing is I’ve used Samsung and Google oled phones before and been fine. Must be something to do with Apple’s implementation. I have an 11 but really wanted a better camera. I’ll probably end up returning the 14 pro and will have to decide whether I go back to the 11 or switch to android again but I have an Apple Watch, AirTags, AirPods. Sooo annoying!

 

[Franconian]

I just found out about this thread. I have a 14 Pro for two days now and I feel a little bit strange. It’s like dizziness or slight nausea. I don’t know if it’s the phone or or I’m getting sick and it’s just imagination because I know this issue exists.

This is my third OLED iPhone, I used a 12 Pro for two years and a XS for two years without any issue.

Is this the PWM issue? And why haven’t I noticed it with the phones before?

Is there a way to know for sure? What can I do? I’m reading things to ramp up the brightness (usually I use auto brightness which is kind of low at 5-10 % in the evening), use 25 % white point and disabling 120 hz, does this really help?

 

[jimmy_uk]

I just found out about this thread. I have a 14 Pro for two days now and I feel a little bit strange. It’s like dizziness or slight nausea. I don’t know if it’s the phone or or I’m getting sick and it’s just imagination because I know this issue exists.

This is my third OLED iPhone, I used a 12 Pro for two years and a XS for two years without any issue.

Is this the PWM issue? And why haven’t I noticed it with the phones before?

Is there a way to know for sure? What can I do? I’m reading things to ramp up the brightness, use 25 % white point and disabling 120 hz, does this really help?

There are no hard and fast rules/fixes. It's whatever works for you. Also you may have a Samsung display or LG display which may mean it looks different to your eyes.

Clearly Apple, Samsung and LG are making changes each year so there are differences between generations and there is a new display driver on the Pro's this year. Then there is the 120hz display, which I personally think is hard on eyes even though it's super smooth - it maybe the constant changing of Hz has an effect?

 

[iCantSee]

I just found out about this thread. I have a 14 Pro for two days now and I feel a little bit strange. It’s like dizziness or slight nausea. I don’t know if it’s the phone or or I’m getting sick and it’s just imagination because I know this issue exists.

This is my third OLED iPhone, I used a 12 Pro for two years and a XS for two years without any issue.

Is this the PWM issue? And why haven’t I noticed it with the phones before?

Is there a way to know for sure? What can I do? I’m reading things to ramp up the brightness (usually I use auto brightness which is kind of low at 5-10 % in the evening), use 25 % white point and disabling 120 hz, does this really help?

Unfortunately, it usually does not help. More to do with the underlying screen technology

 

[1369281]

I just found out about this thread. I have a 14 Pro for two days now and I feel a little bit strange. It’s like dizziness or slight nausea. I don’t know if it’s the phone or or I’m getting sick and it’s just imagination because I know this issue exists.

This is my third OLED iPhone, I used a 12 Pro for two years and a XS for two years without any issue.

Is this the PWM issue? And why haven’t I noticed it with the phones before?

Is there a way to know for sure? What can I do? I’m reading things to ramp up the brightness (usually I use auto brightness which is kind of low at 5-10 % in the evening), use 25 % white point and disabling 120 hz, does this really help?

In straightforward speaking, you are staring at a screen that turns on and off at a rapid pace in front of your eyes. It is not your imagination if this makes you feel ill.

Each generation of OLED implementation for these iPhones seems to be different--even within a generation (for example, iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 14 Pro). It would be hard to say why one generation is fine for you when the latest is not. Maybe temporal dithering is the issue affecting you. Unconfirmed if iPhone 14* uses it or not.