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Severe Eye Strain due to OLED PWM Dimming

Hello , i have been using iphone for 10 years or so and with changes after iphone X which uses OLED , i am really unable to use my iphone due to PWM dimming which causes severe migraine and dizziness for me in 5mins. I have been stuck on iphone 11 due to LCD panels but i am worried whats going to happen in future since LCD is gone now. Can Apple implement DC dimming via software Update? i have tried 14 pro and it had same problems even though flicker has been reduced but doesnt help. I tried every accessibility option like reduce white point , keeping 100% brightness.

Posted on Mar 29, 2023 1:26 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Apr 14, 2023 10:43 AM

  1. I don't believe we're going to get DC dimming for OLED screens as updates.
  2. For those who don't understand what PWM is and how it affects a small groups of people, before asking them to go see an eye doctor, at least read a few articles about how PWM affects their eyes, and in some cases, dizziness and vertigo. Here is a start: https://www.notebookcheck.net/Why-Pulse-Width-Modulation-PWM-is-such-a-headache.270240.0.html
  3. Currently only iPhone SE 3 have LCD screens. The plain iPhone 11 is the last big display iPhone that have LCD and users who are affect by pwm can only use these 2 phones (that is if they can buy an iPhone 11 model). Note that iPhone 11 Pro & Pro Max uses OLED. And any thing from 12 onwards uses OLED.
  4. I am in the same boat as you because I am also affected by the pwm. If apple changes everything to OLED then I just have to say goodbye to iPhone. We are such a small group and I don't think they really care.

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74 replies

Jan 29, 2024 6:25 PM in response to GmXplode

I had to return my brand new iPhone 15 PRO Max for this exact same reason.


I am back on my dying iPhone 11. No way I'm using SE. Imagine a world without face ID? What?


Anyway I can't believe I am unable to look any OLED Phone.


I tired reducing white levels, adjusting brightness, switching to 60hz, turning off motion or whatever the setting is?? Nothing helped. The phone sadly had to go straight back.


I've posted a few replies on these topics about this.


Apple has subsequently deleted them, I'm not sure why?




Mar 30, 2023 8:28 AM in response to SravanKrA

Well as i said, it has nothing to do with Ophthalmologist , Why don't i have this problem while using iphone 11 or any other LCD phone , why just OLED. It has been proven that OLED causes migraines to sensitive users , same is the case with my samsung tv but if i watch in Movie mode which makes dimming @ 960hz frequency then there is no issue its perfectly fine , Manufacturers just need to use high freq PWM.

Sep 5, 2023 12:10 AM in response to GmXplode

As a sufferer of PWM it took a lot of research to realise Apple doesn't care about PWM even though it really should be a great concern to their users eye health regardless of whether people suffer it. I use a company iPhone 14 Pro during the day and because it's not a lot I can use without suffering too much. I ended up buying the Motorola Razor 40 Ultra and don't suffer any PWM and you can also go to Huawei or Honor who both have very high refresh rates. If/when Apple address the issue I will return to Apple.

Jan 29, 2024 8:12 PM in response to Kurtosis12

Apologies if I’ve come across as ranting to you. That was not my intention.


I visited to post replies about having to return my lovely new iPhone because sadly I could not look at the screen.


Why? In the hope that if people see they may also post just like other people have here.


With the idea being to raise awareness of issues some users are facing when using OLED PWM handsets.


I just wanted to help raise awareness, particularly with Apple. Because I can’t imagine not being able to ever buy an iPhone again, which it seems is now the case..


Hopefully Apple can address this issue.


Thanks

Feb 16, 2024 3:04 PM in response to GmXplode

I bought the 15pro and really liked it. Then I started getting constant headaches when in the past I had never gotten headaches. Once my research linked the likely cause to OLED PWM I quickly returned my 15 pro and got the SE (3rd generation). My previous iPhone was the 11 and had LCD. I didn't have headache side-effects on the LCD screen.


Fairly disappointed because I liked the 15 pro and the SE is basic. Apparently Samsung has the same PWM issues. I'm going to research if Google phones have OLEM PWM and if they are free of that function, then I'm going to return my SE in time to get a Google phone.

Jan 30, 2024 6:39 AM in response to TranceVoyager

TranceVoyager wrote:

I just wanted to help raise awareness, particularly with Apple. Because I can’t imagine not being able to ever buy an iPhone again, which it seems is now the case..

Apple doesn't read here in this user-to-user forum for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:


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Severe Eye Strain due to OLED PWM Dimming

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