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Biancaneve_91

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 4, 2019
21
8
I’m curious if all of us have something in common, besides the phone obviously. Like sensitive eyes or stuff like that.
 

HEK

macrumors 68040
Sep 24, 2013
3,547
6,080
US Eastern time zone
I bought my IPhone 11 last Friday and I’ve already been thinking about giving it back. Since the first minute of its use I’ve been having eyes strain, headache and sometimes even nausea. When I don’t use it the feeling goes away and when I start to use it again it comes back. I’m pretty sad about this because I really like the phone but I don’t think it worth it.
I already turn off the Face ID, reduced the intensity of the whites, reduced movements, but I’m still having problems. Obviously it’s not my first IPhone. I’ve had an IPhone 4, 6s, IPad 4, used various Macs and have never had anything.
It doesn’t even have the OLED screen so I can’t explain why is this happening.
Has anybody else been having similar problems?
Since it is not OLED screen it’s not this pwn thing. To entirely eliminate possibility it has anything to do with Face ID cover either side of the notch with black electrical tape. Leave center speaker grill free. Now you either can turn off password or enter it manually each time to unlock. This will eliminate all infrared scans and conclusively show you if that is a cause.
 
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tonybarnaby

macrumors 68020
Dec 3, 2017
2,385
1,741
Since it is not OLED screen it’s not this pwn thing. To entirely eliminate possibility it has anything to do with Face ID cover either side of the notch with black electrical tape. Leave center speaker grill free. Now you either can turn off password or enter it manually each time to unlock. This will eliminate all infrared scans and conclusively show you if that is a cause.
People have tried this to no avail. Not only that, but apparently the flood light is always going off no matter if you turn Face ID off or not.
 

tonybarnaby

macrumors 68020
Dec 3, 2017
2,385
1,741
I’m back on the pro max and while i don’t get headaches, and really my eyes don’t bug me either, I do get a ‘warm’ feeling and my stomach gets queasy. Not a ‘need to vomit’ feeling, just nauseous. Surely if it was pwm I’d have more symptoms than just that, right?
Did you ever get completely used to the max, or is it still so-so?
 

HEK

macrumors 68040
Sep 24, 2013
3,547
6,080
US Eastern time zone
People have tried this to no avail. Not only that, but apparently the flood light is always going off no matter if you turn Face ID off or not.
If you read what I suggested as a test you will see I DID NOT say turn Face ID off. By covering the notch with black electrical tape NO flood light will pass through the tape. Covering the emitter with opaque tape will allow the supposed affected person to test with 100% assurance no light is hitting them.

if the nausea, eye strain, and head aches stop the person will have found the cause of their discomfort.

If covering the emitter has no effect, than further medical assistance might be appropriate.
 
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The.Glorious.Son

macrumors 68000
Sep 28, 2015
1,721
3,642
Chicago, IL
Did you ever get completely used to the max, or is it still so-so?
I’m not completely used to it, no. But I don’t think I can give up on it. I’m in Punta Cana and the photos are just amazing. We were at a lookout with a group and people asked if I’d take their pics and airdrop them because their phones either washed out the background or captured the background softly and made them dark as shadows. The capabilities of this phone as a camera are amazing. I’ve found I use all three cameras about equally. Today I used zoom a lot. Its ability to capture low light even without night mode is awesome. I have 7 more days. I don’t think I can return. But I’ll admit the 8 Plus is much easier on my eyes. Eye doctor confirmed my eyes are fine. It’s nothing medical like some try to suggest.
 
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tonybarnaby

macrumors 68020
Dec 3, 2017
2,385
1,741
I’m not completely used to it, no. But I don’t think I can give up on it. I’m in Punta Cana and the photos are just amazing. We were at a lookout with a group and people asked if I’d take their pics and airdrop them because their phones either washed out the background or captured the background softly and made them dark as shadows. The capabilities of this phone as a camera are amazing. I’ve found I use all three cameras about equally. Today I used zoom a lot. Its ability to capture low light even without night mode is awesome. I have 7 more days. I don’t think I can return. But I’ll admit the 8 Plus is much easier on my eyes. Eye doctor confirmed my eyes are fine. It’s nothing medical like some try to suggest.
Yeah it's all in our brains and what we can perceive. I have initiated a return for my 11. I'm sick of the headaches and feeling like I have an eyelash stuck in my eye. I am more pissed off I gave my iPhone 8+ up for $300 because I can't replace it for anywhere near that. So now I have no iPhone and it feels bad. I think my only hope is to wait YEARS for microLED. Good luck to you. I know the max would be very hard to give up.
 

HEK

macrumors 68040
Sep 24, 2013
3,547
6,080
US Eastern time zone
Yeah it's all in our brains and what we can perceive. I have initiated a return for my 11. I'm sick of the headaches and feeling like I have an eyelash stuck in my eye. I am more pissed off I gave my iPhone 8+ up for $300 because I can't replace it for anywhere near that. So now I have no iPhone and it feels bad. I think my only hope is to wait YEARS for microLED. Good luck to you. I know the max would be very hard to give up.
Is your 11 the pro with OLED screen?
 

Pixillated

macrumors member
Sep 20, 2019
30
49
Virginia
The iPhone 8 Plus seems to be on sale at Verizon. 10, 15, or 20 dollars a month for 24 months. Does not seem to apply to paying in full.
 

jm31828

macrumors 65816
Sep 28, 2015
1,394
896
Bothell, Washington
In response to a thought here, I do definitely have sensitive eyes, sensitive to brightness. It’s why I keep brightness way down.

No eye health issues, just had an exam months ago.

Weird why only the 11 bothers me if all the non oled iPhones out there. :(
 
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jm31828

macrumors 65816
Sep 28, 2015
1,394
896
Bothell, Washington
Is it possible that those of us having trouble might have phones which have some sort of defect in the display? Perhaps a different unit would cause no problems?
 

tonybarnaby

macrumors 68020
Dec 3, 2017
2,385
1,741
Is it possible that those of us having trouble might have phones which have some sort of defect in the display? Perhaps a different unit would cause no problems?
The chances of this are microscopic. If there was even a small% of defective phones, it would be all over the news. Too many of these phones are out there compared to the tiny amount of people complaining. I'm pretty sure it's an issue with the user, and we need to find something else. That's what I did.
 

HEK

macrumors 68040
Sep 24, 2013
3,547
6,080
US Eastern time zone
Nope, which is why I'm so damn confused. Several people on here who have PWM sensitivity have also had headaches from this LCD 11. Very odd
Have you tried covering the infrared lights in the notch? Take piece of black electrical tape and cover. You will need to manually enter unlock code. But it’s a test to see if that is causing your issues.
 

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
17,321
25,479
Wales, United Kingdom
Probably worth getting your eyes tested in case you’re straining them and causing the headaches. Not heard of LCD causing this type of issue but it’s well known with OLED. If it was a wider issue with the iPhone 11 we’d have heard more than one case by now. Get yourself checked out.
 

tonybarnaby

macrumors 68020
Dec 3, 2017
2,385
1,741
Probably worth getting your eyes tested in case you’re straining them and causing the headaches. Not heard of LCD causing this type of issue but it’s well known with OLED. If it was a wider issue with the iPhone 11 we’d have heard more than one case by now. Get yourself checked out.
This has happened to a good number of us on here with both the XR and 11. One member I know got his eyes checked and was perfectly normal.
 

wmdunn

macrumors member
Dec 13, 2012
48
30
Phoenix, AZ
I had the exact same experience. The headaches and eye strain started when I purchased the iPhone X, so I exchanged the X for a new iPhone XR. The headaches and eye strain continued with the XR, so I had my annual eye exam ... eyesight is perfect/normal. Bought a new iPhone SE, no headaches, no eye strain. Everything is fine again. Sure hope Apple figures this out soon.
 
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jm31828

macrumors 65816
Sep 28, 2015
1,394
896
Bothell, Washington
My situation is odd- I don’t get a headache or really any eye strain, but my eyes start feeling warm and dry. Like looking at the bbq grill when the flame is burning. So odd! I have brightness way, way down.
 

oVerboost

macrumors 68000
Sep 17, 2013
1,565
1,039
United Kingdom
My situation is odd- I don’t get a headache or really any eye strain, but my eyes start feeling warm and dry. Like looking at the bbq grill when the flame is burning. So odd! I have brightness way, way down.

Turn it up and try it out for an extended period that way.
 

jm31828

macrumors 65816
Sep 28, 2015
1,394
896
Bothell, Washington
Turn it up and try it out for an extended period that way.

My symptoms are lessening now that I’ve had the phone about a month. I’ll continue using it to see how it goes- until I get the $250 rebate offered by my carrier for buying the phone (another 1 to 2 months). If I still have trouble then I’ll sell it (regrettably) and go back to the 8plus I haven’t sold yet.
 

Biancaneve_91

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 4, 2019
21
8
Is it possible that those of us having trouble might have phones which have some sort of defect in the display? Perhaps a different unit would cause no problems?

You know I thought about this, too. But seams crazy.
[automerge]1573415370[/automerge]
Anyway these days I felt much better. Didn’t have any headaches or nausea. However my eyes get easily tired using the phone. Still don’t know what to do. Whether I should keep it or not.
The pictures it takes are awesome though ??
 
Last edited:

Biancaneve_91

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 4, 2019
21
8
I don’t know if I’m becoming insane. However, this morning I had a bit of headache during the first minutes of using the phone, but after a while it stoped. It’s like the I got used to it or something.
 

cosmichobo

macrumors 6502a
May 4, 2006
986
607
Question for those affected by this response to the iPhone 11 - Do any of you suffer from migraine, and/or motion sickness when playing computer games?

Just wondering if there's some correlation.
 
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