I bought a 15" Macbook Pro Retina back in 2012 and have been using it for the past 9 years. My work is all in front of the computer and I spend sometimes 12 hours a day with no problems whatsoever. I have also had PRK done 5 years ago and it had no effect on my eyestrain with this particular laptop. Unfortunately it was getting slow and once I dropped it and cracked the screen I decided it was a good excuse to upgrade to the Macbook Pro 2019 back in November of 2020 (before the M1 came out). I was happy to upgrade and started using it only to discover that my eyes were really sore after a day of use. I thought it was temporary (I thought that maybe I rubbed my eyes too hard and that's why I was getting the eyestrain). I kept on using the machine until my eyes were so sore that I couldn't look at the screen anymore.

I googled a list of solutions and went to the optometrist to do a check-up on my eyes. I was told they were slightly dry but other than that they were fine. I started taking lubricating eye drops. I tried all sorts of combinations of color palettes, resolutions, flux settings, etc. I even got expensive blue light filtering glasses but nevertheless, upon opening the screen I would see this cloudy "haze" and I'd instantly feel this discomfort in my eyes. Nothing was working.

I had to plead with Apple to return it because I was way past the return date and they allowed me to do it which I am very thankful for. I ran to the Apple store and got the M1 Macbook Air thinking that while it was smaller than what I'd like, it would be better than my old laptop. Opened the screen and got the same repulsive feeling of seeing what I can describe as cloudiness in the screen. After one day of use I returned it.

Since then I've been reading everything (including this forum) I could to hopefully solve my problem. I bought a 2015 Macbook Pro Retina. I had to return it the next day. I then found a 2012 Macbook Pro Retina on eBay with the exact same specs as mine and while I can use it for a little longer, I am still getting the eyestrain and the headache at the end of the day. Finally I had no choice but to move to Windows.

Dell XPS 15 was one of the most recommended machines here and I was very excited to see an end in the tunnel for this problem. And again it's giving me eyestrain. I have tried everything-- Windows 10 Ubuntu, Pop OS. It's not immediate like it is with the newest Macbook Pros, but I can't use the machine for more than a few hours before the eyestrain sets in.

Right now I'm typing all of this from my Macbook Pro 2012 with a broken screen. I'm going to need to switch eventually but I just don't know what to do next. I can't even determine what's causing it. Even the identical model I found is causing me eyestrain eventually!

Here's what doesn't cause eyestrain:
MacBook Pro Retina 15" pre-ordered in 2012

Here's what does:
MacBook Pro Retina 15" 2019
MacBook Air M1
MacBook Pro Retina 15" 2015
MacBook Pro Retina 15" 2012 identical model off eBay
Dell XPS 15 FHD
LG 34UM94 plugged into any of the above

What do I do next?

    Oh have to add that there are slight differences in the "identical model" that I got:
    Processor on the one I've been using for 9 years:
    2.3 GHz Intel Core i7
    NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M 1 GB
    Intel HD Graphics 4000 1536 MB

    and the one I bought off eBay:
    2.6 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7
    Intel HD Graphics 4000 1536 MB

    Could these two really make the difference between giving eyestrain? I honestly don't know how to solve this problem.

      rnmkr Could these two really make the difference between giving eyestrain? I honestly don't know how to solve this problem.

      There used to be a way from the command line to extract the panel manufacturer on your Macbook. I don't think it works any more, but I know first hand that two nigh-on identical Macbooks can have different panels made by different manufacturers. And that's all it takes... (sadly).

        rnmkr Sorry to hear that. Trying to pinpoint a technical solution can be exhausting. Check my blog to see if anything there could help

        heteroforie.webnode.cz

        Also give switchresx a shot

        The 2012 retina with the nvidia chip is the last MacBook I could reliably use for any period of time so this doesn’t sound unusual. They made that model into 2013 but again finding one in good condition with the nvidia chip is hard. And even then it might be the panel. No promises.

          rnmkr There are many XPS 15 models and configurations with different Windows 10 versions, graphics chips, and panels (even just within FHD) that make it hard to give it a blanket recommendation. Certain XPS 15 models in particular configurations may be OK for some, but that’s about all we can say.

          AgentX20
          Gurm

          So I did some digging and apparently the command is still there. The command is:

          ioreg -lw0 | grep \"EDID\" sed "/[^<]/s///" | xxd - -r | strings -6

          More info as to what the numbers mean:
          https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/only-early-2013-rmbp-15-lcd-model-ir-test.1567570/

          Retina test is available here:
          https://github.com/mitchmalone/retina-test

          I have switched the screens on the MacBook Pros and I started getting headache from the one that came in so it seems to be a panel problem.

          The one that I bought (now with the panel that I have been using forever and was able to use with no problems) is LP154WT1-SJA2
          The one that I was able to use (and now with the panel from the newer MacBook Pro that gives me eyestrain) is LP154WT1-SJA1

          I'm not sure how the ioreg command works, but I suspect it queries system information and doesn't query the actual panel itself which means SJA1 is the one that doesn't give me eyestrain and SJA2 is the one that does. I will switch the panels over again to verify this.

            rnmkr good stuff finding that. Looking back at my posts here I have an SJA2 panel that I use with no problems - providing I don’t run anything newer than Mojave.

            Like you I have another old MacBook that I can’t use as well - and from memory that one is a Samsung panel.

            13 days later

            rnmkr Actually it's been the same for me, in 2018 I bought the Macbook pro 13 and i found that i can't use new laptops. My old laptop was from 2008 and i used it for 10 years without a headache or any sort of eyes problems. I had to sell the macbook and since then i've tried these laptops all with the same simptons.

            none of these worked :
            Macbook 13 from 2012 , no retina - still not good - i tried all the diferent macos i could in it and also bootcamp with windows 7
            Dell Precision 5510 from 2016 wich is similar to the Dell XPS 15 with windows 7, 8 and 10 (diferent versions of the 10 also)
            Thinpad x1 Carbon 8th gen - windows 10
            Thinkpad x1 yoga 4th gen - windows 10
            also tried different old lcd panels event non led panel but still felt disconfort but not has much as with the laptop panel.
            there's strange flickering or dithering happening in the image, like nothing is still. expecially is hard to read letters on a whitebackground.

            Also the doctors didn't find anything wrong with my eyes so i don't know what to do.
            Right now i'm using the X1 yoga thinkpad connected to the Dasung Paperlike eink monitor but would love to be hable to have a fully working laptop again ...

            I don't seem to be able to figure out if the problem is Ledpanels, software, drivers or hardware ... its very confusing.

            Did you have the same symptoms just using one eye? Try to cover each eye for 30 minutes or so on a device you couldn't use. Sometimes one feels better than the other. For me it wasn't great at first, but way better than with both eyes after a while you can get used to it if you only do this for 1-2 hours to not harm your bionocular vision. I could suggest buying an old Samsung rf510 and installing Ubuntu 18 since the display is so bad, but I also can use every display just with one eye covered.

            Here https://heteroforie.webnode.cz/ you can find more infos.

            I never tried to used the computers with one eye for long periods of time but when i've done it it seems to help to stabilize the image. On the 10th of May i will have an appointment with the doctor and i will ask about Heteroforie, I'll let you know how it goes but usually doctors are so condescending when you tried to explain something they don't exactly know what it is. And when you tried to talk about computers they look at you like you're making it up, like the people who think 5g is evil or something.
            Sometimes I still used my old laptop but its so slow, hot and heavy that it gets infuriating.

              C_c If you have less problem with one eye there isn't another magical explanation other than a problem with binocular vision. Causes can however range from eye muscle imbalances (most likely), jaw, neck, shoulder problems, neurological factors, and even hip misalignments. Look for specialists for patients with strabismus/squinting. They quickly understand it, since they deal with similar issues every day. I also guess the one eye / two eye difference in symptoms will help you get your point across. @martin blog I have linked above is a good starting point for you.
              Having the right display is like having a good running shoe when you having knee pain. It is important, but if you can fix your knee pain you don't have to rely so much on the right shoe. However, in this forum, we often talk a little bit too much about the running shoe which is good and helpful but a little incomplete.

              dev