Dark mode, blue-light filters, and one lighting trick finally fixed my eyestrain problem

Do you work on a computer all day? I have had many different jobs over the past few years, but none have been entirely in front of a screen for hours, until now.

I thought to myself, it should be an easy transition. I spent hours upon hours gaming in my early to mid-20s, and I never experienced any negative effects (other than the occasional ragequit, I admit).

Now I’m finding I have a headache at the end of my workday due to eyestrain and dry eyes. It’s not fun.

My optometrist suggests less screen time, but if that’s your job, it’s not exactly practical advice.

Every little bit helps. I’ve come up with a few ways to give my eyes a bit of a break without quitting my screen-based job.

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Posts By  Mark Jansen

A quick color change for a big impact

Unfortunately, not every app or website offers it

This first one is the easiest change of all; I’m surprised it took me so long to make it.

Switching your devices, browsers, or specific apps to dark mode. If you’ve never done this or seen this before, it inverts the colors on your screen from a white background with black text to a black background with white text.

When I switched my devices to dark mode, I realized just how bright white screens were making my eyes fatigued. The dark screen had me squinting way less.

If you have astigmatism, this might be harder for you to see due to the doubling-up effect on white text.

If you’re looking to switch to dark mode, it’s app and website-dependent. Here are some places and key phrases you can use to find this option.

On many apps or websites, it will be in your settings menu. You can see on an app like Reddit that it’s clearly marked as dark mode with a toggle slider.

Sometimes this option is found under accessibility, like on the Instagram app.

And occasionally you’ll have to hunt for something that isn’t labeled dark mode.

This is the case for Gmail, where you’ll need to go to settings and adjust your theme to the dark-colored background option. Strangely, WhatsApp has it listed under the Chats setting.

There are a few that don’t support or offer the setting to use dark mode. Google Docs falls into this category. So, if you can’t find it, it might not exist.

Dark mode is gaining popularity, and newer devices are also updating these days to include a dark mode, such as Kindles.

A blue-light filter for every screen

Healthcare professionals are divided, but the general public sees a difference

Blue-light filters can be a controversial topic. Doing a quick search for reputable sources brings up conflicting opinions and opposing claims.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology criticizes studies citing a link between blue light and cell damage. Harvard Health Publishing by Harvard Medical School suggests that blue-light filter glasses might help with digital eye strain.

Point being, it’s hard to find clear-cut studies about the benefits of blue light filters.

Anecdotally, I turned on blue light filters on my phone and computer, purchased some (cheap) glasses, and found them to be helpful.

I can’t say exactly how or why, but my eyes definitely feel less strained at the end of the day.

If you’re interested in seeing the effects for yourself, most Android devices have a setting you can turn on. Mine is in my extended pull-down menu under the name Eye Comfort Shield.

Your computer will be brand-dependent, but my monitor has blue-light filter options when I click the physical buttons on the side and go into the menu.

It’s not just your screens adding to your eye strain

Goodbye, harsh overhead light

You may not have any control over your lighting situation if you work outside the home. But if you work from home or require a little extra eye relief, consider the Philips Hue Smart lights next time you’re at the hardware store.

These days, most lights have been switched over to LEDs, which has been great for saving energy and money. But the trade-off is that they give off much more blue light than traditional incandescent bulbs.

I am not here to suggest you switch back to incandescent bulbs (remember how hot they used to get?).

The Philips Hue lights are a neat solution to have total control over the color of your lights.

While their promotions show wild, colorful party lighting and immersive patterns during games, I think their real benefit is in curating the perfect mood lights that aren’t so harsh on your already tired eyes.

Every little bit helps

You may not see results with just one change

I don’t believe any one of the above will really make a monumental change. This is especially true since the cause of eye strain can vary widely from person to person.

What I do think is that incorporating at least a few of these eye-strain-relieving tech options in addition to eye drops, taking breaks, and lowering screen brightness will have most people noticing a significant difference.

And if it doesn’t, maybe see your eye doctor.

If quitting your screen-focused job isn’t in the cards, these workarounds might help

Balancing health and wellness with technology and work can be a real pain, especially when it comes to our eyes.

The nice thing about some of these changes I’ve written about is that they’re easy and quick. If it doesn’t work for you, no harm in turning the setting back.

I found it useful and had fewer headaches at the end of the day after incorporating these changes, so hopefully you will too!

Philips Hue

Philips Hue lights are incredibly simple to control and customize. Set the perfect colour and brightness to help give your eyes a break after a long day.

$132 at Amazon
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