# Bright screens, dark rooms, and eye strain

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-screens-dark-rooms-and-eye-strain/530078>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 23, 2010, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-screens-dark-rooms-and-eye-strain/530078 "2010-02-23T03:27:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-screens-dark-rooms-and-eye-strain/530078/1 "2010-02-23T03:27:50Z")

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Dear Dopers, can you help me settle an old argument? I would like some reputable citations with data showing that looking at a bright screen (IE, a computer screen) in a darkened room for prolonged periods of time either does or does not have perceptible effects on eyesight\*. Data about reading under low light are also of interest.

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**Author:** ![srzss05](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@srzss05](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/srzss05)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-screens-dark-rooms-and-eye-strain/530078/2 "2010-02-23T03:53:46Z")

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[http://www.parkhurstexchange.com/ophthalmology/1999-08-02](http://www.parkhurstexchange.com/ophthalmology/1999-08-02)

> **[New Study Tests The Effects Of Watching TV In A Dark Room](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060425015643.htm)**
>
> Scientific literature has long supported the notion that reducing contrasts in perceived brightness between a visual display and its background will result in reduced visual fatigue and eyestrain. LRC researchers recently tested this hypothesis in...

[http://www.grandtimes.com/eyes.html](http://www.grandtimes.com/eyes.html)

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**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-screens-dark-rooms-and-eye-strain/530078/3 "2010-02-23T04:43:50Z")

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Thanks - this seems kind of inconclusive, but at least it’s a start! (And it’s looking like I may be wrong, with my “of course it hurts your eyes” stance in the aforementioned argument.)

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**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-screens-dark-rooms-and-eye-strain/530078/4 "2010-02-23T05:47:15Z")

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I think those links are all pretty clearly pointing to the same thing: viewing a bright screen in a dark room causes eye strain (which is a temporary discomfort), but no permanent damage. So it “hurts your eyes” in the sense that eye strain can cause a dull aching or photosensitivity, but not in the sense that you’ll lose your eyesight any faster.