Can e-books hurt your eyes?
By Kate Saundby
Kate “Freddie” Sandby, an award-winning sci-fi writer, is among the latest contributors to the TeleBlog. Welcome, Kate! Given the growing interest in e-books for libraries and schools, her informal observations below are most timely. I hope that others, especially from the medical field, can weigh in with their own thoughts. – David Rothman.
Some time ago, I saw a spirited thread on an e-mail list about what effect reading regularly on a Rocket, Gemstar 1150, Palm or other backlit e-reading device would have on one’s eyesight. While it wasn’t lost on me that most of the dire warnings came from people who were totally against e-books to begin with, as a voracious reader who got her first prescription glasses in 2004 at the age of 66, I was still concerned.
After recently going through yet another eye exam which culminated in the purchase of two pairs of hideously expensive eyeglasses, one for driving, etc., and the other for the computer and reading, etc., I figured I might as well find out once and for all. So, when I went to pick up my new glasses last Friday, I hauled along my NuvoMedia Rocket, 1100 Rocket and Palm Zire and asked the doctor straight out, “Will reading on these devices have an adverse effect on my eyes?”
Instant e-book convert
As soon as he saw how the fonts could be enlarged and tried out the landscape feature on the NM Rocket and the Gemstar 1100, the doctor started calling various staff members over and enthusing on how fantastic they would be for patients with macular degeneration and similar vision loss. After I explained that the Palm Zire will also play MP3 audio books, he became so excited I had a time getting him back to my original question. One of his staff members then commented that the gentleman in our area who works with the blind has some Rockets and that he had showed one to her.
Finally, to make a long story short, here’s what the doctor said: “The only problem that I can see would be glare. My recommendation is that you don’t read on any of these devices in a totally dark room. In other words, there should be some light. Other than that, I think these are just great. Where can I get one?” In response, I gave him a list of various websites that sell ebooks, i.e. Fictionwise, and explained that it’s possible to still find a Rocket on eBay.
Easy to deal with glare
So there you have it, folks. Reading on a backlit wireless device will not damage your eyesight and the only problem might be glare. To prevent this, the doctor said there should be some light in the room and that a nightlight would do just fine.
Note: This originally appeared on the eBook Community List and is reproduced with Kate’s permission.
May 2nd, 2007 at 2:56 pm
Actually, anti-aliasing might screw with your eyes, too. Although the text is more smooth it is also blurred, so the eyes have a hard time focusing. This makes the eyes tired.
(Although maybe in the long run it might actually help those who read long times without looking on something far away every once in a while. Or maybe not.)
May 2nd, 2007 at 3:04 pm
“Actually, anti-aliasing might screw with your eyes, too. Although the text is more smooth it is also blurred, so the eyes have a hard time focusing. This makes the eyes tired.”
Um, yeah, and reading a Rocket ebook in the dark might cause you headaches or other issues, but the only negative result will be temporary eyestrain which doesn’t have any effect on the long-term health of your eyes, despite persistent urban legends to the contrary.
May 2nd, 2007 at 7:45 pm
Being able to make the fonts larger will help about 90% of the “over 40′s” who have trouble reading print. We also found in our office (we are all over 40!) that just making the changeover to modern flat computer screens some years ago got rid of most of our headaches and eyestrain. The screens on the latest mobile phones and MP3 players are even easier on the eyes. I have less trouble reading the screen on my MP3 player (3 x 4 cm) than I do most P books, especially on a moving bus.
May 2nd, 2007 at 7:57 pm
Kate,
Don’t forget to tell them about the Ebookwise reader. I think that’s cheaper in the long run rather than buying used on Ebay.
Ellen
May 2nd, 2007 at 9:21 pm
I’ve been using various PalmOS devices in darkened rooms (dark bus, etc.) for several years (1998 at least) without any problems with my eyes. That sure beats the reverse, when my wife would hit me with a pillow for reading in bed with the light glaring.
May 7th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
[...] Can e-books hurt your eyes?As someone whose vision is not at all good, this is near and dear to my eyes. Also this is one of the reasons I avoid DRM crippled e-books and PDF e-books. I want to view e-books on my preferred device, with my own font size choice. Tags: acquisiton , Courtney Brown , e books , Emory University , eyes , free , lectures , links , microsoft , Pete Cashmore , pipes , podcast , politics , Science Fiction , vision , yahoo , YUI [...]