I have macular degeneration and the glare from my iMac screen is making it almost impossible for me to use my computer. Is there some glare proof screen I can get that will help this situation? I am so frustrated because I really need the computer because of the visual impairment, but cannot use it because of the glare .
iMac, Mac OS X (10.6), iMac Intel
I never have like the glossy displays for that very reason.
Sadly there is no easy solution, folks who have tried stick on matte films have reported having a worse time because the thickness of the glass panel puts things out of focus.
For some solutions see > matte screen covers for iMac's - Google Search
The best solution might be to turn or move the iMac so that there is no light from windows or lamps shining on the display.
It's the iMac's protective front glass that is causing the additional glare on the screen.
The actual TFT LCD screen is glossy, itself, and the additional front glass and the air space between the actual LCD screen and the protective glass causes extreme glossy look and glare and a slightly out of focus look.
Do as WZZZ recommends and look into purchasing a MacFrame.
I, absolutely, hated the glossy iMac screen and was getting serious headaches with only a short time of sitting in front of my iMac. As soon as I bought my iMac, I started my hunt for a good solution and found the MacFrame. Since removing the iMac's front glass and install a MacFrame, I can work at my Mac the way I used to.
The removal of the extra pane of glass doesn't completely get rid of the glare ( again, the LCD, itself, has a glossy, glass panel), but reduces the glare down to a more tolerable, and less eye straining level.
The MacFrame is just a black painted metal cover that covers over all of the ugly parts that show when you remove the iMac's front glass panel.
The MacFrame kit gives you everything you need to remove the iMac glass and re-install the MacFame in its place.
The difference in reduced glare is very noticeable and the screen actually looks clearer and sharper.
Store the original front iMac glass to protect it from getting broken or damaged.
You will need to reinstall this glass if you ever need to bring your iMac in for any servicing.
Good Luck!
You mean the MacFrame is only that, a frame? It leaves the LCD exposed? If that's all it is that's a pretty pricey frame. I thought it was an anti-glare replacement screen. And I'd want some protection for the LCD panel. That's the price on ebay for a replacement screen, at least for the 21.5.
Seems I completely misunderstood what this product was.
Message was edited by: WZZZ
Thanks so much for your replies. I am going to need to make a decision on the best solution. I have been reading about the Phdotodon hood made especially for the iMac. have any of you heard about i. The location of my iMac is the worst...I face a relatively large window, and the room lights behind me reflect in the screen. There is no place to move it. I have tried just changing the angle of the screen bit that has not helped. I wonder if the hood would would effectively cut the glare of the light from the windows, at least.
I don't know anything about that product. I'd just be careful it doesn't block the upper exhaust vent in the way it attaches.
WZZZ,
The LCD is glass, also.
It's a hard, cleanable surface unlike my LaCie LCD screen where it's more of a softer screen surface.
The iMac's LCD can be cleaned, although a little more carefully, like any other glass screen.
Just have to use a slightly dampened microfiber cloth to clean it.
The frame doesn't block any vents.
In fact, with the actual protective glass gone, and the frame in place, the iMac actually vents out some on the interior heat more easily.
Plus, I believe it will keep the screen from out gassing from excessive heat on the screen causing the gray spotting issues on the screen.
And, as I wrote previous, the image directly from the TFT LCD screen is much sharper and clearer without the extra layer of glass. Plus, less glare.
The frame is precision cut and is designed to fit the iMac's screen contours precisely and keep the iMac looking stock.
Don't knock the product until you try it!
I have this on both a 21.5 inch screen and 27 inch screen iMac.
It works and looks great!
Here's the link to the website.
The frame is a precise fit.
It's what is shown in all of the photos and clearly tells and explain that it is just a precision cut and black power coated frame.
How hard is it to get the glass out? Can I do it myself?
If you purchase the frame, it comes with two small suction cups.
The back of the iMac's front glass has a metal frame that is glued to the glass.
This glass is held in place by strong magnets that grab the metal frame on the back of the glass.
You attach the two suction cups to the top corners of the glass and pull the glass free from the magnets.
Pull the glass forward, grab both sides with hands and lift up and out the glass from the bottom edge.
When re-installing, reverse this procedure by installing the glass bottom edge first.
Before buying my current iMac, I tried several different screen covers (films). I paid for small samples of every product I could find, went to an Apple store, and slapped on the samples one at a time. Final analysis: I did not care for any of them; they made everything look fuzzier and, since I need to have larger fonts than what is in the default resolution, it was even worse when I took that down a notch. So, for now I opted to live with the screen as is, but after reading the recommendation for that frame, I'm going to think about that.
babowa,
I can whole heartedly recommend this frame.
The reduction in glare from removing the iMac's front glass is appreciably noticeable.
The screen IS clearer and sharper to look at.
The frame is a precise, custom fit and looks great and more importantly, makes your iMac look totally stock out of the box.
This is the best solution and best cosmetic solution out there for combatting the iMac's screen glare and keeping your iMac looking good!
This is exactly what Apple is doing now with the new MacBook Pros. Making the case and screen one complete part/assembly eliminating the extra glass layer over the screen.
Well, I'm thinking about it - I have no problem changing RAM, but trying to get off a (presumably quite heavy) 27" screen by myself scares the h-e-double-hockeysticks out of me!
I have the 27 inch screen model iMac.
The glass is not very thick and the glass panel is not that heavy.
Think of a 27 inch piece of window pane glass.
Not much heavier than this and the metal frame behind is very thin, also.
If you use the right tools (cheap suction cups or small glass handling cups) the removal is straight forward and fairly easy.
Here's a pretty good YouTube video that illustrates the process.
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=ONCdGHe0Uxs&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DONCdGHe0Ux s
Thanks!
Addendum: Hilarious - your link led to a viewing site for mobile devices, but I didn't realize that right away - wondered why neither QT nor VLC would load the video...... until I finally saw there was a desktop link......
What do I do with screen glare problem?
