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Custom glare reduction screens for 24" iMacs. Check it out.
Custom glare reduction screens for 24" iMacs. Check it out.
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iMac making me blind
- Thread starter MacHiavelli
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Wow. So I am not imagining things. After getting my 24" Al iMac, after a while I found that the most comfortable setting was with the brightness turned all the way down. Daytime/nighttime does not matter.
I spend a considerable portion of the day staring at LCD computer monitors and don't have this problem with any of them. The problem is the iMac is very bright and has a huge surface area sitting a just a few feet in front of you.
I spend a considerable portion of the day staring at LCD computer monitors and don't have this problem with any of them. The problem is the iMac is very bright and has a huge surface area sitting a just a few feet in front of you.
There is a program called SHADES you can install.
Let's you turn down the display to a dangerously low level, almost OFF.
If you do that, you may never see the screen again!
Start looking here ..... http://www.lifeclever.com/freeware-of-the-week-shades-mac/
Some say it uses a lot of CPU resources ... though I cannot verify that.
http://www.lifeclever.com/freeware-of-the-week-shades-mac/
Let's you turn down the display to a dangerously low level, almost OFF.
If you do that, you may never see the screen again!
Start looking here ..... http://www.lifeclever.com/freeware-of-the-week-shades-mac/
Some say it uses a lot of CPU resources ... though I cannot verify that.
http://www.lifeclever.com/freeware-of-the-week-shades-mac/
MacHiavelli,
I had the same kind of problem with the MacBook, and I think it's due to the glossy display. Now I'm using a macbook pro and things are way better:no eye strain even after hours of work.
You should try to calibrate the colours of your display or buy a matte screen.
I'm sorry Apple decided to go with the glossy display in the iMac, it's really a downgrade from previous 24'' iMac.
I had the same kind of problem with the MacBook, and I think it's due to the glossy display. Now I'm using a macbook pro and things are way better:no eye strain even after hours of work.
You should try to calibrate the colours of your display or buy a matte screen.
I'm sorry Apple decided to go with the glossy display in the iMac, it's really a downgrade from previous 24'' iMac.
I had the same problem (well, I have a 20", so not exactly the same). Try turning the gamma up to about 1.95 - 2.00 up from the standard 1.8 of a mac. It helps a lot.
It sounds stupid, but this is actually really important advice. People, when using a computer, have an amazing tendency not to blink enough, thus drying out their eyes. Drops can also help.
All the suggestions here are good--anti-glare filter, apps for adjusting the brigtness, using the PC standard 2.2 gamma instead of 1.8 (won't help with white, but images will be darker), etc--but what I'm not getting is the redness.
I'm not an optician, nor do I play one on TV, but as far as my limited understanding goes too-bright anything should bother your retinas. If the white part of your eye is red, that is on the "outside" and is caused by dryness or other irritation. No matter how bright an iMac is, I can't believe it would be anywhere near bright enough to dry your eyes faster.
So I have to guess it's heat (not light) that's drying your eyes out, or you're doing something different in response to the brighter screen. I don't see an iMac radiating any significant amount of heat from the front, so that leaves subconscious adjustment. Total armchair diagnosis, but maybe because of the physically larger screen you're tending to open your eyes wider, thus drying them out more? A way to test would be moving your chair or iMac back a ways; you might have trouble reading text, but it would indicate whether the physical size/position of the screen has something to do with it.
Having been sitting in front of a computer drying out my eyes for the better part of my life, I've experimented with what style of work is most comfortable. Extreme contrast (bright monitor in a dark room or with unadjusted eyes) is uncomfortable on the light receptors, but hasn't caused me redness--that's usually because I'm doing something reflexively that causes me to open my eyes extra wide and/or not blink enough.
My lenses in my glasses are specially made for view computer screens. Between school, work and home, I am looking at a screen probably 10 hours a day. Ever since I switched to these lenses I have never had a headache or any eye problems from viewing a screen. If you wear glasses I highly recommended them.
I've got iritis, and uveitus too. Had it non-stop for 15 years. Been taking steroids for a decade. Still, moving on....
The obvious thing to do is not look at your iMac screen for a few weeks or so and see if the symptoms go away.
Also, a regular optician can't see uveitus/iritis with his regular kit. You have to go to a proper eye hospital where they can have a proper look. I went to three opticians when I first had the symptoms and was told to ignore the symptoms. I did this for a year, which resulted in damage to my eyes.
Other symptoms are black floaters, but finding white light v uncomfortable and painful is very much another.
Get your eyes checked out and don't trust regular opticians. They're all failed doctors anyway. (Apologies to any opticians on this thread!).
The obvious thing to do is not look at your iMac screen for a few weeks or so and see if the symptoms go away.
Also, a regular optician can't see uveitus/iritis with his regular kit. You have to go to a proper eye hospital where they can have a proper look. I went to three opticians when I first had the symptoms and was told to ignore the symptoms. I did this for a year, which resulted in damage to my eyes.
Other symptoms are black floaters, but finding white light v uncomfortable and painful is very much another.
Get your eyes checked out and don't trust regular opticians. They're all failed doctors anyway. (Apologies to any opticians on this thread!).
Are these settings available for the 20" iMac. I do not see them in my System Preferences. MC
Went to the optician this morning and he says there's no infection or anything like that - it just looks like I've been straining with the adjustment to the new screen. He recommends turning it down as low as possible (doh!) and tweaking the light around me (doh!).
I don't seem to get glare (if you mean reflections) from the screen, just the pulsating sense of light being too bright.
I need to work in Windows a lot of the time and there are less ways to calibrate the screen in Windows. I am going to install Fusion and calibrate the screen to be more red or more blue and see if that tones things down for me.
Thanks to everyone for their advice.
BTW, if I download Fusion, I get a DMG in my downloads folder. It then installs. After installation, can I delete the DMG file or do I have to keep it in the downloads folder. Doh!
I don't seem to get glare (if you mean reflections) from the screen, just the pulsating sense of light being too bright.
I need to work in Windows a lot of the time and there are less ways to calibrate the screen in Windows. I am going to install Fusion and calibrate the screen to be more red or more blue and see if that tones things down for me.
Thanks to everyone for their advice.
BTW, if I download Fusion, I get a DMG in my downloads folder. It then installs. After installation, can I delete the DMG file or do I have to keep it in the downloads folder. Doh!
The eyes themselves may not be the problem but a symptom of something else. I'd tell a doctor (not just an optician) and insist on a full thyroid panel (blood test) just to be on the safe side. (you can google up eyes and the thyroid for more info) It might really just be the iMac but something tells me it isn't.
The panel is a normal LG Philips panel as found on any number of computer monitors for sale.
With CRT consigned to the bin, you're going to face this problem with whatever machine you get as they all have TFT panels.
What happens if you move way back, say two feet? Maybe get used to it from a distance and move closer.
It's not uncommon for your eyes to be disturbed by a new condition being imposed on them. Ever had new glasses and had to cope with sloping floors and walls for a couple of days? Your brain adjusts and fixes it eventually.
With CRT consigned to the bin, you're going to face this problem with whatever machine you get as they all have TFT panels.
What happens if you move way back, say two feet? Maybe get used to it from a distance and move closer.
It's not uncommon for your eyes to be disturbed by a new condition being imposed on them. Ever had new glasses and had to cope with sloping floors and walls for a couple of days? Your brain adjusts and fixes it eventually.
To answer a couple of the questions that popped up:
Yes, they are--System Preferences-->Displays-->Color-->Calibrate...-->check "Advanced." That exists on any Mac, regardless of type or OS version. Make sure you're in the right tab (and if you're running two monitors, that you're looking at the right one).
Delete the DMG--that's the digital equivalent of an install disk, so you can get rid of it once you've copied it to the Applications folder (unless you WANT to keep it around for some reason, instead of downloading it again in the event you need it).
Thanks for the DMG advice.
Went to the local Apple store on Saturday and realised I should have bought a MBP and a 30 inch screen. Seems you can turn down the external screens far more than the iMac screens.
Doh!
This tread has proved most interesting.
I am one of those that the glare of the glossy screens causes headaches after about 20-30 minutes. It can be a MB, MBP (with glossy screen) or iMac. The result is the same.
My eyes are sensitive to glare it seems.
To the OP, you may be in the same situation.
For me, the only Apple laptop solution is the MBP with matte screen.
I am one of those that the glare of the glossy screens causes headaches after about 20-30 minutes. It can be a MB, MBP (with glossy screen) or iMac. The result is the same.
My eyes are sensitive to glare it seems.
To the OP, you may be in the same situation.
For me, the only Apple laptop solution is the MBP with matte screen.
Ye, that's a problem to me as well, I turned the brightness to the lowest level, my eyes still hurt very much, I downloaded a software which can adjust it to a even lower level of brightness, but sadly i am not at home right now maybe some1 here might have the same software so he or she could post the name of that software out!
I just got my imac 24 inch yesterday and after just 20 minutes in front I start getting sore eyes headache. Same thing now. I have turned dimmer all the way down, tried several different calibration settings. I seem to have one of the screens that is brighter on the left than the right. It's bugging my eyes out. A big disappointment as I need this computer to finish a short film. I got the refurbished and now I guess I assume I got the bad screen that everyone returned.
If anyone comes up w/a good solution that works, please post.
If anyone comes up w/a good solution that works, please post.
You really don't need to see a doctor about this. You've probably tried some of my suggestions below already. Some people just have more sensitivity to bright lights then others. I know you already turned the brightness all the way down.
Here's my 4 step solution:
1. Sit back. The optimal viewing on a 24" iMac is approximately 5'. No joke. Adjust the settings if the type is too small at this distance. I've got a 17" and I sit atleast 3' away at all times.
2. Move any lights directly behind you and the computer away. Ideally, you want the only light to be coming from directly above or to the sides.
3. Take more breaks but also allow your eyes more time to adjust. I think everyones experienced teary eyes from going inside a dark room to a very sunny outside... its a natural proctective reaction of your body but your eyes eventually adjust. Try starting at a darker spot when you open a white page to allow the adjustment
4. If non of the above are working, you just have more sensitivity to bright lights. Buy an anti-glare screen. The light issue is certianly no reason to get rid of an exceptional computer.
Here's my 4 step solution:
1. Sit back. The optimal viewing on a 24" iMac is approximately 5'. No joke. Adjust the settings if the type is too small at this distance. I've got a 17" and I sit atleast 3' away at all times.
2. Move any lights directly behind you and the computer away. Ideally, you want the only light to be coming from directly above or to the sides.
3. Take more breaks but also allow your eyes more time to adjust. I think everyones experienced teary eyes from going inside a dark room to a very sunny outside... its a natural proctective reaction of your body but your eyes eventually adjust. Try starting at a darker spot when you open a white page to allow the adjustment
4. If non of the above are working, you just have more sensitivity to bright lights. Buy an anti-glare screen. The light issue is certianly no reason to get rid of an exceptional computer.