"Nick 83: Ok, many questions: do you experiment these problems only watching LED screens, or also from sunlight, sunglare, bulbs, etc? Does any other stimulus trigger those symptoms? Do you have other health issues? And, lastly: have you consulted a rheumatologist? I just ask because brain fog is usually related to rheumatic conditions, such as arthritis (you would already know if you have it) and fybromalgia (much more tricky to diagnose)."
I get no problems whatsoever from any other light source (sunlight, light bulbs of any kind, etc.), and there is no other stimulus that triggers these symptoms. I have no other health issues that I am aware of. Have not consulted a rheumatologist. "Brain fog" might not be the best term to describe my symptoms.
Regarding the ability to watch video on a screen without symptoms: I have also speculated that it might have to do with focus (type of focus), i.e. our eyes focus in a different way while reading something on the screen or browsing the web as opposed to watching a video. One thing I did find out is that our eyes blink much less when we are reading something on a screen compared to normally (and, I expect, compared to when we watch a video). This results in drier eyes, i.e. less tears that might serve a protective function. With my new tablet, a Samsung Galaxy A7, which gives me very bad symptoms when I am doing anything other than watching video on it, I did experiment with intentionally blinking a lot and continuously while I was using it, but this did not prevent the symptoms.
The possible explanation that it is not the same pixel emanating light continuously with the moving image of a video seems to have some plausibility. However in a video, often many parts of the image would seem to remain identical over longer periods: i.e. the background scenery, or the room in which an action is taking place in a movie. But perhaps our eye is drawn to the part that is moving, so we are not focusing on the surrounding parts that are not moving and thus these parts do not cause us symptoms.
The only thing that I found so far that works "curatively" (not preventatively) for my symptoms -- i.e. helps greatly with the symptoms after they have appeared -- is, strangely, to make a paste of baking soda and water and stick it on my forehead and leave it there for a few minutes. I was going to post this elsewhere on the forum after I had read through more posts and become a bit more familiar with people's experiences, reflections, and solutions, but will throw this out here now already with curiosity as to whether this can help others as well.
I am currently trying to get a sense of whether the Dasung Paperlike or the Onyx Boox Mira monitors would be likely to help me without actually trying one of them out first, since where I currently am (New Zealand) I don't appear to have a possibility of trying out either beforehand (the only seller I have found so far that has a return policy is Amazon in the U.S., but this would entail exorbitantly expensive import/customs fees apparently). But it seems that what works for one person may not work for another and that trial and error is the only way.
I would be very interested if we can get to the bottom of the symptom-free video paradox.