I have 2 models of ipads - iPad 2 and iPad mini which I can use without eye strain. These are my main device to watch youtube videos and movies on-the-go for long periods of time. Both my iPad 2 and iPad Mini was on IOS7. I wanted to install an app, but it requires a minimum IOS8. So I decided to upgrade the OS of my iPad 2 to IOS 8, and immediately I got eye strain. So for me:

IOS7 = no eye strain (on ipad 2 and ipad mini)
IOS8 = eye strain

I tried someone's ipad 2 with IOS9, also give me eye strain. What is worse, is that once upgraded the OS, there is no way to downgrade to IOS7 again. Hours spent on the internet on how to downgrade, basically it can't be done. Apple has stopped signing older IOS versions to force people to upgrade to the latest IOS.

So now I have essentially "lost" my ipad 2, I cant use it anymore. Since I now know that newer version of IOS causes eye strain to me, I thought I would use this opportunity to buy a newer ipad model, but one that came with IOS7 (i.e. that has not been upgraded to IOS9 or 10).

I found that Ipad Air and Ipad Mini 2 was originally shipped with IOS7. All newer models are shipped with IOS8 or IOS9 from factory, so there is no way to get IOS7 on newer models. So I searched a long time for a new (old stock) Ipad Air that was manufactured in 2013 (before IOS8 was released) so that I know it is shipped with IOS7 right out of the box. Finally I found one seller who still has a new, factory sealed iPad Air, manufactured in 2013. I checked the serial number from the back of the box on a website, and it confirms that the ipad was manufactured in 2013.

So I opened the new iPad Air, set it up, lo and behold, it is indeed IOS7 inside. I was happy. But then after using it a 10 minutes, I get eye strain. I stopped using it for a few hours. Use the ipad again, and still get eye strain. I tried using the ipad Air for a few days, and it still give me eye strain. Damn.

So know I know, not only newer version of IOS (IOS8) give me eye strain, but the newer iPad hardware/retina display, at least the iPad Air, even when used with IOS7, also gave me eye strain. Which is weird because the ipad does not seem to have PWM. So there must be something else in Ipad Air's hardware/retina display is causing eye strain to me. This sucks. Not only the newer IOS gave me eye strain, but their hardware as well. Looks like I am stuck with my 4-year old iPad mini (still on IOS7), which thankfully can still work without giving me eye strain.

I have not tried every model and every IOS version of iPads. I am hoping that if there are some model and IOS version of ipad that you can use without eye strain, maybe it can work for me and for others here as well.

So what iPad model and IOS version can you use without eye strain?

  • KM likes this.

I can use iPad 4 with iOS 7.1.2 without eye strain (only at minimum brightness but that's another issue). Some apps give eye strain, but thats an app thing. The stock apps are "good".
iOS 6 was good, earlier iOS 7.x versions were bad. I guess Apple read about users complaining in the Macbook eyestrain thread and reverted the video mode/PWM frequency/whatever in iOS 7.1.2. But the iOS 8 beta hurt my eyes. And some people reported the final iOS 8 version hurt them as well. That was the point where I didn't bother to upgrade anymore. Too much risk involved because it's a one way ticket. I would have tested every new iOS version, but not under these circumstances. I already replaced my iPhone with a working Android phone. I think I will use the iPad until it dies and then look for an Android tablet.

By the way: I think one can downgrade iPad 2 with Odysseus or OdysseusOTA. In the Reddit jailbreak section there are posts about this. So I think you could reactivate your iPad 2.

Edit: My iPad is an old iPad 4 I bought on release. I can not guarantee if Apple uses the same hardware in all iPad 4 devices. In fact they used different screens/display hardware/whatever in iPhones, making some models good and others eye-strainy. Pure luck to find a good iPhone (if there are any good ones nowadays).

So I opened the new iPad Air, set it up, lo and behold, it is indeed IOS7 inside. I was happy. But then after using it a 10 minutes, I get eye strain.

Maybe a version earlier than 7.1.2?

So there is no difference that you can visually perceive, yet your eye comfort is drastically different between OS versions? Quite interesting...

I got eye strain from my iPhone 3GS, 4S, and slightly from my 5S. My 6S however is not really a problem.

Ipad-wise, I got eye strain from my iPad 1,2 and 4, but not really with my Air 2 (I still get a little with extended use).

I've never related any of this to the OS - at least in my case.

What they did to iOS 7.1.2 on the iPad 4, they didn't on the iPhone 4. If I want heavy eye strain within seconds, I just have to upgrade my old iPhone 4 which currently runs on iOS 6.0.1. I tried it multiple times to be sure. Luckily one can downgrade iPhone 4. This is absolute proof that this issue exists. Maybe another factor is the type of the device's screen. We know Apple gets their parts from multiple manufacturers.

  • JTL likes this.
12 days later

This is really puzzling. I am trying to find a pattern to see what could be the cause of these eye strain, but it seems that many people have different level of eye strains and are affected by different causes of eye strain.

The only way to find a pattern (and hence the cause) is for everyone to provide a background to what they get eye strain from, what devices they get eye strain, what devices they can use without eye strain, and other health/eyes related details. Only then maybe we can find a pattern and determine the cause. Otherwise it is hard to make sense of all of this.

We need someone or some university to do a research paper on this, so that they can go through detailed historical background of people who suffer from these eye strain, and record the devices/technologies that causes eye strain to certain people, and see if there is any solution that can be found. If they can identify the cause (or all the causes of eye strain) is also good already.

    Kray We need someone or some university to do a research paper on this, so that they can go through detailed historical background of people who suffer from these eye strain, and record the devices/technologies that causes eye strain to certain people, and see if there is any solution that can be found. If they can identify the cause (or all the causes of eye strain) is also good already.

    I have lots of underlying medical records dating back from when I was born about eye/brain injuries, etc. But I never had the strain until 2011. In fact I remember when I was younger hearing my mother talking about how harsh the flicker was from fluorescent lights and calling her "crazy" because while I could see it, it never affected me bck then. 😛

      My iPhone 6s is the worst device I own
      My mom's iPad Air running iOS 9 is the best iDevice I have used apart from an old iPod Touch I have which runs iOS 6

      12 days later

      Ipad mini 2, 3 only
      ipad air 1
      ios 7 if you can find it
      ios 8 otherwise
      less preferred ios 9
      ios 10, i will not buy the above devices with ios 10

      ipad air 2, ipad mini 4 and the successors are just different, made more towards pleasing the crowd with better numbers on performance, thinner, better looking colors yada yada whatever to sell it, while sacrificing the picture quality, performance. ipad mini 2, 3, air 1 have just better picture quality, not messed with, not as manipulated,

      5 days later

      what about the new IPAD PRO 9.7 ? i need a new tablet, my ipad air 1 is getting old.

      • JTL replied to this.

        Riktor It's only 2 years old 😛 What features would you get with a new one that this one doesn't have?

          iPad Air is 3 years old, iPad Air 2 is 2 years old. I assume me and Riktor are referring to the iPad Air 1 (at least I was in my post) but your point still stands. This tablet is snappy and performs its functions reasonably well. The biggest limitation is that it has half the RAM of the iPad Air 2. For me this only becomes an issue if I have a large number of tabs open.

          8 months later

          got the new Ipad Pro 10.5 in post today.
          while i run the setup, i became headache and eyestrain 🙁 shit - already got case and screenprotector.
          now i have to send it back.

          so my old IPAD 1 is still the best.

            hector

            btw. my old username is Riktor 😃
            forget the mail and password.

            but the speed compared to the old one is increadable. the 4 loudspeakers too.

              the refreshrate is higher, but the motion blur is higher too than my old ipad air 1. cheap screen.

              I tried both of the previous model of iPad Pros and found them to cause mild headaches. The iPad Air 2 is the best I've found. Not perfect but somewhat tolerable.

              I've yet to check out the new model Pros.

              I stopped even trying to use iPads after the iPad2. Which yes, is now 5 years old.

              I heard a rumor that the new ones were ok, but the first Air as well as the iPad4 were BAD for me, that's pretty much where I threw in the towel.

              My son has whatever the first one to use Lightning was... and it's almost usable, much like an iPhone 5 is almost usable.

              • KM likes this.

              has some tried the new IPad - non pro ?

              I can use an iPad 2 and an iPad 3 ONLY with a Techarmor matte anti glare screen protector. With that on, zero eye strain. With it off, instant eye strain. I have never been able to determine what it is doing to the display to make it tolerable

              • Gurm replied to this.
                a month later

                i have tried the "old" ipad pro 9.7 - headache after 2 min.
                then ordered the new IPAD 9.7 (normal, the cheap one). better then ipad pro, but still get problems with it.

                now my beloved ipad air 1 stuck in recovery mode after trying to downgrade from IOS11 beta and i cant use it anymore 🙁
                maybe i will order the old Air 2.

                ensete I find it interesting that there are definite camps in iPhone land. There are those who could tolerate anything up to the iPhone 4s and iPad 2... and find the iPad 3 and iPhone 5 to be uncomfortable and the iPad 4 and iPhone 6 to be downright excruciating... that's the group I fall into. But there are others such as yourself for whom even the iPad 2 (and presumably iPhone 4/4s because it's the same display tech) were problematic.

                My suspicion? I'm not actually sensitive to Retina displays in particular but in SOMETHING they started doing with CERTAIN retina displays. The fact that I can use my GF's iPhone 7+ for brief periods with NO brightness modulation and NO blue-light reduction and NO matte protector, and that I can use my buddy's iPhone 7+ with a matte protector for long enough to fiddle with an app, take a picture... means that these displays are all very different.

                  20 days later

                  me again.
                  ipad air 2 - poor screen 🙁
                  reactiviated my ipad air 1 again. tried some other tablets from lenovo but still get problems.

                  I've had mild eye strain with all of them I've owned.

                  1, 3, Air 2, Pro 9.7 and 12.9. (I returned both of the Pros due to eye strain). The Air 2 has been the best of the bunch, but certainly not perfect.

                  Initial tests with the 10.5 suggest it's no good either.

                  5 days later

                  iPad air (1st generation) with iOS 10.3.3

                  Night shift is always on

                  This is the best screen I have ever used. I can look at it for as long as I want.
                  I read whole books on it, black text on white background, very comfortably.

                  13 days later
                  5 months later

                  Any updates/recommendations on this? I have a 1st gen 12.9 iPad Pro and an iPhone 6s. One would think a bigger screen is much easier on the eyes but my experience shows otherwise. The 6s is quite tolerable however the 12.9 pro gives me bloodshot and dry eyes quite easily.

                  4 days later

                  My experience has been:
                  iPad 3 - plenty of eye strain
                  iPad Air 2 - not too bad but some strain after 20 minutes
                  iPad Pros (9.7 and 12.9) - both pretty bad causing sustained but low level symptoms

                  iPhone 4S - fairly useable
                  iPhone 5S - similar
                  iPhone 6S - best so far (or I've grown used to it)
                  Spot tests with iPhone 7, 8 and X suggest more eye strain - mirroring my experiences with recent iPads.

                  I'm going to do some more testing with the iPhone 8 and X over the next few days.

                  It’s strange how the best iOS devices seem like being the worst when it comes to eye strain. iPad pros and now the iPhone X with its pwm factory oled screen .

                  Waiting for your update but I bet the X will be the worst of all.

                    ChromseSmokeBBQ please remember that the devices don't have identical screens - many manufacturers, not just lg or samsung. One 4s can be great, other unusable. Mine 4s is fine.

                    • JTL likes this.

                      Just recently bought iphone 8 and it is extremely unusable. It gives me blurry vision and migraines 1-2 minutes after using. The next day I had a terrible headaches and during the day - nausea. iPhone 6 or 6s was OK (mother's and sister's), but I am afraid to buy them now as I am not sure if it will work out and if it is still ok. And just a remined - macbook pro retina 2015 early gave me the same headaches. Currently I have HP probook g4, it is much better, but still gets me blurry vision, but no headaches.

                        a month later

                        Peter Yes, it is. I have the one with Matte non-touch screen, i5 processor, integrated graphics, 256 GB SSD. 8GB RAM. But I rarelly use it without external monitor because I hate blurry vision, even without eye strain...

                            Peter Yes, of course Win 10 PRO, 1709 edition.

                            By the way, I just received the Lenovo X1 carbon 3rd generation with a very bad 1600x900 TN screen. It does not give me any eye strain, but still I receive some blurry vision after 30-40 mins. But it seems to be temporary and my eyes "resurrect" after a good night sleep. It is also somewhat usable, but still not perfect as my other older laptops or CCFL external screen. The laptop is fast and reliable even nowadays, I think when it was new, it cost like 1700 EUR. Might be worth a try. 🙂

                              a month later

                              I was looking at the iPads at Costco this week just for fun. I played with all the sizes and bezel colours present. So this ensemble was the mini, the pro (2 sizes), regular and the new cheap regular.

                              The one that was the most comfortable (enough that I paid attention to it on separate days) to me on that table was the 64G iPad Pro 10.5 with the white bezel and gold back. Item 2408901, I believe the iOS version on it was 10.3.2 (maybe 10.3.3 I forget). The difference is subtle, but I'm pretty sure the black model next to it had a different screen or driver. There is no way to tell what is in the box. Just saying that this one particular one that I was holding, I think some of you would have found it serviceable. The rest of them, no.

                              3 months later

                              I recently measured a rapid brightness change of in between 1% to 5% on my iPad 4 (which for extended periods of time I can only use at the lowest brightness level). This russian site confirms the iPad 4 flickers at low amplitude:
                              https://www.ixbt.com/td/ipad-4-test.shtml
                              Paste the link into translate.google.com to view it in a language of your choice.
                              Looks like the brightness fluctuates at 3% to 4%. They measured roughly 16 kHz frequency.

                              Does this mean even low amplitude fluctuation is related to eye strain? Maybe.

                              3 months later

                              i´ve tested the new 11" ipad pro today. motion blur is a bit better then the last year model (10.5). its coming close to my old ipad air 1.

                              but bad news for me. i got headache and eyestrain after some minutes of use 🙁
                              it´s disgusting!

                              whats wrong with me?! i still have to use my old air 1 for playing and watching videos.

                              btw.: my old samsung b7 lcd 40" screen is using pwm and i didn´t got any issues. whats so special about my air 1, any ideas?

                                hector Does your iPad Air 1 still use iOS 10? If so I would think that the problem might be a new dithering algrorithm used in iOS 12.
                                My wife has an iPhone 6S which was great on iOS10 but gives my instant strain on iOS12...

                                • hpst replied to this.
                                    dev