Eye strain/pain headaches with MacBook Pro 14 2023

I can definitely corraborate this experience. I have had to swap out my 16” MBP to a 13” Model due to continuous eye strain and headaches.

I know headaches can be subjective so I went to at least 2 eye specialists and did a battery of tests, including binocular vision abnormalities, intraocular pressure, etc. and in the end received a diagnosis of “idiopathic migraine” and a recommendation to “just avoid those displays”.

Doing some experiments - it seems that PWM of <100k Hz is triggering this.

I would be fine with a reduced colour gamut, accuracy and possible differences in power consumption if it means I can continue to use Apple devices. As such I also politely ask the accessibility team to consider adding an option to disable PWM.

Thank you.

umnfan10 wrote:

Maybe I’m getting old and need to look into getting glasses now who knows.

Do you wear reading glasses? If so, they don't really work that well with a computer screen. You'll end up tilting your head and sitting at weird angles. Go to your eye care provider and get glasses specifically designed for computer use. I've worn reading glasses for about 10 years but only just got computer glasses (actually progressive lens that I can wear for both) and the difference is amazing.

If you're over forty and haven't had your eyes checked recently, try to do that.

I am presently encountering the same issue.

At my residence, I utilize my MacBook Pro 16” with M2 Pro (2023) in conjunction with an external display (49WQ95C-W), an IPS LCD screen, and encounter no issues. However, when working remotely, maintaining an 8-hour workday using the MBP display becomes challenging. Similar challenges are observed with my iPhone 15 Pro.

Contemplating reverting to a previous model, such as the iPhone 11 (base model with IPS LCD), for a more seamless experience. Any recommendations for earlier MacBook Pro models?

It would be advantageous to have the capability to disable PWM for brightness across all Apple devices in the accessibility settings, opting for software-based brightness dimming instead of hardware-based.

<<. disable PWM for brightness. >>

if you were able to literally do so, your display would remain at its MAXIMUM brightness at all times, with NO reduction whatsoever. That would be blindingly bright.

PWM turns the backlight off for tiny fractions of a second to reduce the average brightness to something that MOST people find more tolerable. If you do not find it tolerable, we have been told to have you stop using the display and contact Apple support:

Official Apple Support

ProMotion settings seems to be treated very differently from 60Hz setting. I suddenly get all the Scaling Options, that were never presented with ProMotion.

Color cast for Internet/Web is VERY different.

my eyes also hurt for a long time from the macbook pro 2019 15 inch screen, I tried many color schemes and my eyes stopped hurting on the sRGB IEC1966-2.1 scheme. Everything is individual, but maybe it will help someone

Same here. My solution so far are blue light blocking glasses. (red tinted lenses)

It works quite well, the eye strain goes away and I can work with no issues, but color related work is kinda impossible. :( Def a bummer with an otherwise really great machine.

The new MBAir models seem to have the old display tech, so maybe downgrading might be the move?

¿Don't like the built-in display?

Use an external display instead!

What do you think of this?

https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/quickshade/id931571202?mt=12

You can disableTemporal Dithering in terminal. I found some Mac users doing this, and in turn doing so relieved them from eye strain and pain.

The issue is either or pwm/dithering due to 8bit +FRC panels, which is a common thing with TVs, cellphones and laptops. As well as flickering from LED lights, such as lightbulbs, sometimes strips, Philips wake-up lamps etc.

For PC screens it's easier. They generally are flicker free. TV and cellphones however is much harder. And even flicker free there doesn't always mean no issues. As LG OLED series as an example are flicker free for the most part, besides dips in brightness every X ms. The issue are other factors it seems, and size could also matter. Along with room brightness, having led strips on back as ambient light to diffuse screen brightness more, keeping screen at max brightness. Turn off all extra features, disable power saving and vari brightness etc...

I never had issue until I got OnePlus 7 Pro and OLED TVs. Now I'm very sensitive. On cellphone I use flux with specific color tones, keep phones om max brightness and use flux to lower brightness / overlay colors that help relieve the strain. Making sure not to have amber and other color tones which makes it worse. Using bright, not dark mode. PWM modulation increases with lower brightness on system level.

Google disable dithering Mac terminal. Should find the threads then.

R/Pwm_sensitive i believe it is on reddit for further knowledge. And lastly, I suggest seeing an orthodontist. Eye health is important. Maybe there is something else underlaying. I have lots of sight issues since childhood and wear glasses.

We all have different trigger and root causes. Making this challenging. I hope you figure it out!

Best of luck!

With proper lighting, screen brightness, Display text size adjustment, and a good Optometrist prescription for computer viewing (which I have), that may lead to reduced eyestrain and headaches.

Did you not have an opportunity while in Paris to visit an Apple Store and spend some time with this device to determine if there were early detection of issues before purchase?

old-eyes-on-macbook-pro wrote:

I'm looking for settings that would make it easier for me to read the display on my MacBook Pro. My problem is that I'm an older person who has difficulty reading fine print. Thanks for any help!

I use reading glasses when using the computer. Works very well for me. If you wear prescription glasses, check with your optometrist. They may be able to give you a prescription for glasses to wear when using the computer.

As we age, the lens in the eye loses elasticity, and that makes accommodation (eyes-only focusing) more difficult until "your arms aren't long enough" and you need some lenses added for near vision.

Computer work tends to be mid-rage vision, neither as close as normal reading nor as far as distance.

Progressive "bifocals" are wonderful. The top is a wide distance vision prescription for far away. The bottom is a near vision area for close work. as you look up the center of the middle, you move through an infinite variety of mid-range, suitable for computer screen work.

They tell you "it might take week" to get used to progressive bifocals. In my opinion, you may be functional at a week, but automaticity takes the better part of a month.

Mine are actually trifocals as the optometrist felt a need to correct for an exceedingly mild astigmatism that I’ve always had but no one ever felt was by itself enough to warrant glasses. But, at least if I forget to take them off (as I often do with readers) I don’t find myself wondering why the world is so blurry.

I bought MacBook Pro 14” M2, 10 days ago. And I’m facing exact situation.

eye strains and severe headache.

I read the entire discussion here but I couldn’t find a solution. I don’t know if Apple is doing or have done anything about it.

help please.

thanks