What to Look For in a Monitor as Recommended by an Optometrist

Dr. Hanish Patel

2020/05/11

Home Monitor

According to a 2018 study by Nielsen, the average American spends more than 11 hours of their day using digital screens every day, whether that be for work, entertainment or casual use. Along with that screen time comes a major health risk – eye strain. Although some consumers can decrease the amount of time spent in front of a screen, most cannot. Finding a computer screen or monitor that can actually benefit your eyesight is an excellent option when looking to combat the side effects of longer screen times. Below are a few key features to look for in a new monitor that will help to reduce the effects of eye fatigue and improve overall health.

Key Feature: Blue light filtering

Blue light is the shortest wavelength in the visible electromagnetic spectrum, and in comparison to the other colors in the spectrum, it is the most harmful for your eyes because of its high intensity. Exposure to blue light can not only be harmful to your retinas, but it can also affect aspects of your everyday life, like your sleep cycle. One great feature that several monitor brands are incorporating into their new monitors is the ability to filter out blue light from the digital screen for a safe and overall comfortable viewing experience. Through this new technology, blue light is filtered out of screens with the push of a button to protect your eyes and enhance your experience in front of the screen.

Key Feature: Anti-Glare and Brightness

Monitors with high gloss or screen glare can cause your eyes to have to work twice as hard to read words on your screen, which can also result in extended headaches, neck and back strain. Another factor to consider is the monitor’s brightness. A higher (or lower) brightness could cause you to squint to be able to read a page, which could be harmful after extended periods of time. Look for a monitor like those at BenQ that feature Brightness Intelligence Plus Technology. These monitors will not only adjust the brightness of your monitor based on the ambient lighting in your surroundings, but they will also adjust the color temperature of the content you’re viewing, which can also impact the health of your eyes. This technology will protect your eyesight and make the monitor do all of the work for you.

Key Feature: Higher Screen Resolution with Zero Flicker Technology

Most high-end monitors being produced have higher screen resolutions such as 1080p, 1440p, or 4K. These requirements vary depending upon the size of monitor you’re seeking. Choosing an appropriate resolution for your screen size can benefit your eyes and overall reduce eye strain. In addition to have a higher screen resolution, it’s important to look for a monitor with Zero Flicker Technology. While this is invisible to the human eye, screen flicker can be very detrimental to your eye health and enhance the symptoms of eye strain.

Overall, a monitor with these features will enhance your quality of life while using computers for work, entertainment or even fun. By prioritizing these features, you will find a monitor that meets all your needs while also preventing eye strain.

About the Author

Dr. Hanish Patel is an optometrist and founding partner of the Eye Associates of New York and the Center for Ophthalmic and Vision Research. Located in New York City, Dr. Patel offers complete eye care solutions to improve each of his patient’s eye health and overall vision. Having extensively trained alongside prominent optometrists and ophthalmologists, Dr. Patel works to finds innovative solutions for patients who struggle with issues like severe dry eye, ocular surface disease and irregular corneal issues. Dr. Patel maintains a professional membership as a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry to ensure that he is always up-to-date with the latest eye care advancements.

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