Other Eye-strain while using iPhone X and up

[Chuckles55]

I had a Samsung Galaxy S5 but don't recall having any issues with it. As a side note, I also get migraines from time to time, I think they are more stress related than anything. I've had two attacks this month, about a few weeks apart and I'm using LCD phones, Iphone 11 and SE2022.

 

[DJTaurus]

 

[PwmMen]

There are still no problems with the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
I just love it, it's so beautiful and the technology is outstanding.
I'm very grateful that the iPhone 15 Pro Max doesn't annoy me.

 

[Heman87]

There are still no problems with the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
I just love it, it's so beautiful and the technology is outstanding.
I'm very grateful that the iPhone 15 Pro Max doesn't annoy me.

You are a lucky man. I get mixed results using the 15PM. This is my sixth day and I’m traveling and I’m watching YouTube videos and browsing the web for Alsmost 2,5 hours now. I feel that my eyes are tired and irritated. But that’s good for almost 2,5 hours. I think that’s normal. But In the weekend my eyes were burning. I think because I was using it at night with very low brightness. And I think also because I was had the promotion enabled. I have the feeling that using this phone without promotion is easier for my eyes. I don’t know if anyone know if this is true. I’m going to keep testing. Because I really love this phone. It is the best oled phone I have used.

 

[1369281]

I followed @Heman87's lead and sent Apple feedback again as well as emailed Tim Cook directly. It can't hurt if everyone here took a few minutes and did the same.

 

[jimmy_uk]

The refurb store is full of iPads and Macbooks, the new MBP's can be preordered and next-day delivery is available on the iP15. I've spent yet another evening crunching the data + reading the forums and it still looks like I cannot safely use any modern product. I really need a computing device as I'm rinsing my iP11 battery - what a thoroughly depressing situation.

 

[rodjam]

Honestly I think a lot more people are affected by this than reported, they just don't connect their symptoms to their phones. I didn't figure it out for 10 years, I started getting eyestrain and headaches with my very first OLED phone back in 2011(Sansung S2) but I didn't even know about PWM until a couple years ago after reading about it in this thread.

Yeah I think you are on to something here: I bet a lot more people are affected and don’t connect their discomfort with their screens.

 

[tonybarnaby]

Heads up to all my unfortunate PWM sufferers. I have some relief.

I switched to Verizon from T-Mobile after 20 years, due to my daughter being in highschool now and her school is a dead zone. I got my wife a 15 pro, and my 2 girls got 15s. I read ONE review about the Pixel 8 pro from a pwm sensitive guy who claimed it worked for him. I tried it, and had pwm symptoms within an hour of being home 🤡. $50 later and it was returned.

I checked a story about best phones for pwm sufferers, and went with the OnePlus Nord N30 5G for $240 from Best Buy. Was $279 if you don't activate it, which is also dirt cheap.

The phone is 6.7"
LCD
5000mah battery

All in all, it's absolutely a lower end phone, but it works perfectly for my eyes! Best screen I've ever used besides my iPhone 8+. OnePlus charging is legendary, and it can go from dead to 100% in like 45 minutes. You have to see it to believe it.

OnePlus 12 is coming in January or Feb with a huge emphasis on healthy viewing. It'll have some very aggressive DC Dimming, and it's my next phone for sure. It'll have anywhere from 12 to 24 GIGS of ram hahah. Beast mode

The iPhone 11 and se2 are LCD, but both of them gave me a headache. The common thought was it was down to Temporal dithering. So the fact this OnePlus Nord N30 5G is so good for my eyes is a godsend. Pretty much any Budget Moto G phone will also work.

Hopefully some of you can find some relief


The article I mentioned:

Best phones for PWM/flicker sensitive people 2024

Get rid of those headaches by getting the right phone.

www.androidcentral.com

Sadly, there are no options from Apple besides the tiny se2

 

[Heman87]

Heads up to all my unfortunate PWM sufferers. I have some relief.

I switched to Verizon from T-Mobile after 20 years, due to my daughter being in highschool now and her school is a dead zone. I got my wife a 15 pro, and my 2 girls got 15s. I read ONE review about the Pixel 8 pro from a pwm sensitive guy who claimed it worked for him. I tried it, and had pwm symptoms within an hour of being home 🤡. $50 later and it was returned.

I checked a story about best phones for pwm sufferers, and went with the OnePlus Nord N30 5G for $240 from Best Buy. Was $279 if you don't activate it, which is also dirt cheap.

The phone is 6.7"
LCD
5000mah battery

All in all, it's absolutely a lower end phone, but it works perfectly for my eyes! Best screen I've ever used besides my iPhone 8+. OnePlus charging is legendary, and it can go from dead to 100% in like 45 minutes. You have to see it to believe it.

OnePlus 12 is coming in January or Feb with a huge emphasis on healthy viewing. It'll have some very aggressive DC Dimming, and it's my next phone for sure. It'll have anywhere from 12 to 24 GIGS of ram hahah. Beast mode

The iPhone 11 and se2 are LCD, but both of them gave me a headache. The common thought was it was down to Temporal dithering. So the fact this OnePlus Nord N30 5G is so good for my eyes is a godsend. Pretty much any Budget Moto G phone will also work.

Hopefully some of you can find some relief


The article I mentioned:

Best phones for PWM/flicker sensitive people 2024

Get rid of those headaches by getting the right phone.

www.androidcentral.com

Sadly, there are no options from Apple besides the tiny se2

Does the iPhone 11 have Temporal dithering? I'm using the 11 for 4 years now. Never had issues. I did use the iPad pro 11 inch with LCD. That screen gave me eye strain

 

[Heman87]

I followed @Heman87's lead and sent Apple feedback again as well as emailed Tim Cook directly. It can't hurt if everyone here took a few minutes and did the same.

I also send an email to the head of hardware. I think we have to let them hear our concerns and our voice. Because i think they arent aware of this issue. I dont want to bother these people because i'm sure they have 1000 other priorities. But if they aren't aware of this issue maybe they will never fix it.

It's also going to be interesting what Samsung is going to do with the S24. If they get a higher PWM or a better technology Apple will probably follow. Let's hope that will be with the iPhone 16 and not the 17 or even the 18

 

[tonybarnaby]

Does the iPhone 11 have Temporal dithering? I'm using the 11 for 4 years now. Never had issues. I did use the iPad pro 11 inch with LCD. That screen gave me eye strain

I'm not sure. That's the only reason I can think of why it gave me headaches. Otherwise it was a lovely phone

 

[GlenK]

Honestly I think a lot more people are affected by this than reported, they just don't connect their symptoms to their phones. I didn't figure it out for 10 years, I started getting eyestrain and headaches with my very first OLED phone back in 2011(Sansung S2) but I didn't even know about PWM until a couple years ago after reading about it in this thread.

I think you are right! When I returned one of my phones and told the person the reason she said oh wow I never heard that before maybe that's why I have headaches all the time. Many just haven't connected the dots..

 

[Abiyork]

I think you are right! When I returned one of my phones and told the person the reason she said oh wow I never heard that before maybe that's why I have headaches all the time. Many just haven't connected the dots..

Yep and every day there is a kid getting their first phone, a iphone 11 user treating themselves to a new OLED, companies upgrading work phones to an OLED equivalent etc etc.

Within a couple of years the numbers using OLEDs will dramatically rise and therefore a rise in PWM suffering.

This will become too big to ignore over time. (Thats what I am hoping anyway)

 

[martin2345uk]

OK so the 14 Plus is going back and I am going back to... a 14, which is the phone I had before I decided to experiment with bigger phones. Apparently they kill my eyes in a way smaller ones do not. Go figure 🤷‍♂️

 

[DJTaurus]

OK so the 14 Plus is going back and I am going back to... a 14, which is the phone I had before I decided to experiment with bigger phones. Apparently they kill my eyes in a way smaller ones do not. Go figure 🤷‍♂️

Give iPhone 15 a try. At least for me it was not that bad.

 

[now i see it]

i think they arent aware of this issue.

They are very aware, and have an answer printed in their iPhone warning sheet: (summarized) If a user experiences problems using an iPhone (headaches, eyestrain, nervous system problems or seizures) don't use an iPhone.

Thats their answer. If the iPhone gives you problems -- don't use it.

 

[tonybarnaby]

They are very aware, and have an answer printed in their iPhone warning sheet: (summarized) If a user experiences problems using an iPhone (headaches, eyestrain, nervous system problems or seizures) don't use an iPhone.

Thats their answer. If the iPhone gives you problems -- don't use it.

Works for me! I enjoyed my iPhone, but Android is not bad at all. And you can get a solid Android for half the price of an iPhone. They don't have to fix the pwm issue, I'm happy to have left the ecosystem.

 

[DJTaurus]

Works for me! I enjoyed my iPhone, but Android is not bad at all. And you can get a solid Android for half the price of an iPhone. They don't have to fix the pwm issue, I'm happy to have left the ecosystem.

Which android ?

 

[MICHAELSD]

I think you are right! When I returned one of my phones and told the person the reason she said oh wow I never heard that before maybe that's why I have headaches all the time. Many just haven't connected the dots..

I wasn’t going to mention this so I’ll space it out for privacy reasons, but upon bringing it up to Apple Store employees in the past year:

• One said his friend was sensitive to flickering and can’t use newer iPhones due to it.
• One was on Nurtec and migraine medications *for unrelated reasons.
• One said his wife had an iPhone SE and is sensitive to flickering.

I still think this is much more widespread and not having it publicized in any sort of publication, even a technology site like The Verge, prevents it from becoming common knowledge. That being said, if I could stare at a flickering iPhone display with no apparent issues I’m not sure I’d necessarily care other than having some sympathy and intrigue for the group that is sensitive.

 

[DJTaurus]

@PwmMen
could you tell us your screen supplier on your 15PM (3utools) ?

 

[cenkanyil]

Goodmorning everybody!
Long story short I never really understood that my symtoms where PWM related. I always had headaches, little dizzy and nausea.

I was using an iPhone 12 mini and I was on a treadmill, and became so dizzy that I had to stop my training.

I was worried a lot. Back then I only was 25 years of age, I train frequently and am in top shape.

Now I was laying on the ground and after I gathered my self again, I wanted to check something on my phone.

Boom immediately dizzy.

Googled the symptoms and I figured out it was the PWM. Since then I use the iPhone 11 and no more issue. No PWM related symptoms nothing.

Now im curious if the newer iPhones are usable for people like us? I hear mixed stories everywhere. One can use the pro and the other the non pro etc.

Im stuck on the 11, and I don’t see the SE as an option due to the small battery and the hideous design from 2014.

Or should I just use an iPhone 15 pro/regular and accept the PWM pain? I do care about health above anything tho.
I am 27 years of age, have glasses with astigmatism. I can see without classes but I need them while driving for distance view.

Thanks everybody, cheers!

 

[PwmMen]

@PwmMen
could you tell us your screen supplier on your 15PM (3utools) ?

3utools is not available in my country.

 

[rodjam]

Im stuck on the 11, and I don’t see the SE as an option due to the small battery and the hideous design from 2014.

Or should I just use an iPhone 15 pro/regular and accept the PWM pain? I do care about health above anything tho.

same for me: I am stuck on iPhone 11 as any OLED screen gives me headaches, dizziness and eye strain. Health for me is paramount, and I will stick with LCD screens until something better is available, but OLED is a no go for me. If my 11 dies I will switch to a cheap LCD android if there are no LCD iPhones available.

 

[cenkanyil]

same for me: I am stuck on iPhone 11 as any OLED screen gives me headaches, dizziness and eye strain. Health for me is paramount, and I will stick with LCD screens until something better is available, but OLED is a no go for me. If my 11 dies I will switch to a cheap LCD android if there are no LCD iPhones available.

Nice we’re stuck huh

 

[PwmMen]

Except for the iPhone 12 Pro, I haven't tolerated any iPhones with OLED.
After that I couldn't stand one either, and then the iPhone 15 Pro Max came out this year.
I didn't have much hope of getting through it as I kept getting disappointed. And then came the surprise.
To this day I can't believe that I can use the iPhone 15 Pro Max in the standard settings and at 120Hz.
I have been using it since September 22nd, 2023, and it is still a pleasure to work with it to this day.
They say it has the same display as the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but that may not be the case, or it's the panel lottery.
I couldn't use the iPhone 14 Pro Max because after 1 day it gave me no problems, but then it was no longer bearable.