Causes of eye strain, how to detect and "solve" them.
Kray You forgot to mention light flicker from LED light bulbs,from cheap CFL light bulbs etc.
It is not good enough to fix your display if the light source in your room flickers at levels that are harmful for you.
I had to do a lot of research to find light sources that I don't get headaches and eye pain from.
PuffyCloud Can you recommend light sources?
KM For the last few years I have been using a combination of different light sources: CFLs(philips,osram) in places where I don't spend much time like in the hallway/bathroom,I use LED lamps(warm 3000K) that have a DC transformer with the light flooding the walls(I don't like direct LED light) at the same time with desk lamps and floor lamps with halogen light bulbs in rooms where I spend more time.
I also have a Panasonic plasma tv,I use my laptop at maximum brightness with a software color filter to dim the brightness and use f.lux with 4500K for the day setting. At work I bought a Dell u2414h(DC driven backlight) at 44% brightness in the “Paper”(low blue light mode) monitor profile and f.lux installed with 4500K for the day setting and have no red eye/head aches/sand in the eye sensation after 8 hours. The light at work is from fluorescents with electronic balasts(nothing show when I filmed in slow motion).
I own an LG Flex2(flicker-free) on which I do a lot of reading daily.
I've been a computer programmer for 7 years now and got to the ophthalmologist recently and I still have 20/20 vision. As you can imagine I had a lot of problems at the beginning(there was very little on the net at that time,felt like I was the only person with PWM health problems) so I did a lot of research and that is my current setup.
I currently found 2700k or lower LED spotlights and light fixtures(with DC transformers),OSRAM DULUX INTELLIGENT LONGLIFE CFLs which are suppose to be flicker-free and a very warm CCFL light bulb(these are rare). I will try to combine all the the best from all the lighting technologies and I will let you know how it goes.
If you want specifics on which LED lamps I use etc. ask and I will give details in another post as this post is already too big.
PuffyCloud LOL. I've been a migraine sufferer for over 16 years now with CFL and LED lighting as my primary trigger. I wouldn't be surprised if I have more experiences investigating and getting treated for eco lighting triggered eye strain than everyone else on this forum combined. I didn't bring it up cause this forum seems to be focused on screen, not lighting.
My entire home is lit with incandescent light bulbs. I have enough stocked away to last me the rest of my life.
PuffyCloud If you want specifics on which LED lamps I use etc. ask and I will give details in another post as this post is already too big.
I would appreciate it very much, although I probably have forgotten more things about eco lighting than most people will ever know, I am always happy to hear new info that might be new.
I certainly care and I'm sure many other people do as well.
I also have a subreddit, /r/ightsensitive, where I have documented most of my journey. Haven't posted there in a while though, but if you have specific questions feel free to ask. And thank you for caring
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ensete I just received OSRAM DULUX INTELLIGENT LONGLIFE CFLs. They are a no go as they flicker(although not as obvious as other cheap CFLs on my slow motion video) and are not flicker-free as advertised. I will used them on a hallway probably.
I will come back in the next days with links from the LED spots/light fixtures(DC transformer included) I use.
I also ordered a few LED filament bulbs that are marked on this website as FfT(Flicker Free Technically):
https://www.derlichtpeter.de/testergebnisse/
I will test them to see if I get problems from them and come back with feedback.
Also low wattage(under 40w) incandescents or halogen bulbs tend to flicker, I do prefer warm DC driven LED light instead as my eyes don't get as tired. Also I would stay away from most LED bulbs as the tehnology is not there yet(haven't seen a LED bulb that I don't have problems with but I'm going to try from time to time).
This also seems promising although they don't have any below 3000K:
http://www.skywider.com/products/liquid-filled-lamp/
I don't suffer from any light / lighting sources, thankfully. But now that many lights including street lighting is starting to use LED, I hope it doesnt cause me eye strain. Some highways I used have already switched to LED lights, but so far no eye strain from me.
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ensete Here are some DC driven LEDs I use:
https://uk.paulmann.com/luminaires/wall-luminaires/wall-luminaire-stadio-led-5.5w-white/70796
https://uk.paulmann.com/luminaires/wall-luminaires/wall-luminaire-anello-led-ip44-6.5w-white/70795
https://uk.paulmann.com/luminaires/recessed-luminaires/led-recessed-luminaires/premium-line-recessed-light-led-pearly-matt-white/92686
(not flicker free unfortunately, but I don't use them for long periods of time)
http://m.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/art/20169658/
(this one is one of the best flicker-free light sources you can get)
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ensete Check this out:
https://phys.org/news/2017-07-scientific-dont-bulbsand-simple.html
https://www1.essex.ac.uk/psychology/overlays/2013-207.pdf
It seems that regular people can detect flicker at about 3000Hz and sensitive people up to 5000Hz.
Also incandescents could make a comeback:
http://news.mit.edu/2016/nanophotonic-incandescent-light-bulbs-0111
PuffyCloud How many MIT "innovations" have come to market?
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JTL LOL
You can still buy incandescents yourself. Only a very narrow slice of bulbs got phased out. 130V incandescents all meet the energy efficiency. There are also 120v 602 watt bulbs, same exact ones that used to be sold in store, in slightly smaller chandelier bulbs that are sold at Target and the like. Lowes and Home Depot doesnt sell them cause they get a much higher profit margin hawking harmful LED ligfhtbulbs, and they care more about $$ than people health and well being
You can search various online outlets and find incandescents for sale easily
For a start
https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ge+incandescent+bulb
https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halogen+par30&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ahalogen+par30 (my celing lights are PAR30)
Probably can't ship to US though
ensete Bought the new versions recently:
http://m.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/art/20169658/
They changed the adapter and now these JANSJÖ lamps are no longer flicker free. I think they changed to IC LED drivers and now are very sensitive to the input electricity.
If you can still find the old ones you should be fine but these new ones will give you a headache.