Retina Display MacBook Pro eye problem and strain

What resolution are you using? If you go to your monitor settings and choose "scaled" you can pick the different sizes, it looks like native resolution is 2560-by-1600, can you choose 1280x800 if you aren't already using that? I found that the in-between resolutions cause heavy strain.

Yeh I’m using the default scaled. No difference. It’s pretty much all light I’m sensitive too but computer work is just too much. Even on my iPad Pro with Truetone I’m having difficulty concentrating.

G'day all

I strongly suspect that the described effect is achieved by Apple introducing temporal color dithering aka FRC in the display drivers. They basically buy a lot of panels, and let's just say not of the best color abilities. They need the color dithering to simulate better color, esp the new DCI-P3 attempt that is marketed as having 25% more color - true, just not at the same time. Your brain is supposed to aggregate the quick color changes into a bigger color space. When it refuses so, you feel all sort of drama.

I may think of starting a pet-iti-on to Apple to pay up for more organic screens with at least true 8-bit color, or at least to have software option to turn off temporal color dithering - but then the colors will look worse on those 6-bit panels i reckon. From the customer PoV, please demand true 8-bit panels and stick to sRGB gamut screens without PWM and you'll be right like

Hi Ben,

I see lots of comments already, let me add a couple suggestions that I don't see in the responses.

1) Go into System Preferences > Displays and select the Night Shift tab. Create a custom schedule for all day and adjust the Color Temp as needed. Reason for this suggestion is that LED displays produce blue light which has been known to affect the brain and sleep. Maybe the blue light is causing your eye strain.

2) Many responses about needing reading glasses. Alternately you can also go into System Preferences > Displays and select the Display tab. Change Resolution to scaled and adjust for larger text.

You could have returned it before the two week period ended.

Wow! Really constructive response there, sig. In checking your responses to other threads I can see they are equally as helpful.

Ben, I had a similar issue with my eyes and the display as you've been experiencing. What worked for me was to turn down the brightness of the display a few ticks from maximum. It's almost as if the display is so sharp and contrasty that my eyes had trouble focusing due to, for lack of a better phrase, a halo-ing effect with text.

Don't get me wrong. The display is gorgeous and the best I've ever seen or owned but at maximum brightness, especially in a reduced lighting environment, it's overload for my eyes. It's not the displays fault but rather my old crummy eyes.

I also invested $15 in a cheap pair of reading glasses which has also made an improvement.

Turn the brightness down a few ticks and let us know if that helped.

"I also invested $15 in a cheap pair of reading glasses which has also made an improvement."

Wow! Really constructive suggestion there Easton1813. Cheap for your eyes is good. Don't recommend it for others.

I did what easton told you about reducing the screen brightness and now my eyes are not strained

@Imd.Ben, anashed and Easton1813:

I've had this same problem for about two years now with my 59 year old eyes (how in the world could THEY be the problem?) and a 15" MBP mid 2009 which of course is not retina display. I can work all day on my iPad and my iPhone, and on my MBP when plugged into several brands of 23" monitors at home and work spaced at about 34" (864 mm) from screen to eyes.

However, an hour on my MBP by itself (someone else's office, a hotel room, an airplane, my lazy sofa) and my eyes lose the ability to focus --and I'm toast.

I too find helpful the tips you three kindly recount. Still, I sure wish there were a magic bullet which made everything like it used to be back in the day (2009).

(PS: @Sig:You're sounding pretty much like a 12 year old troll around here. Not saying you are one. Just saying that you pretty much sound exactly like one. Thought you might wanna know, 'specially if that's not how you intend to sound...)

Also, for whatever it's worth:

• My iPad is first generation, so of course not retina
• My iPhone is 4, so yes retina
• And as stated, MBP is mid 2000, so of course not retina

an hour on my MBP by itself (someone else's office, a hotel room, an airplane, my lazy sofa) and my eyes lose the ability to focus --and I'm toast.

Ok, I'll explain why.

First off your iPad and iPhone screen is smaller, thus doesn't reflect as much as a larger display will.

Your other displays are in a static environment where you have reduced the glare or it's been reduced just by chance.

When you take the glossy screen laptop to another location without adequate environmental features to reduce glare imposed (no overhead lights, closed windows, low light etc.) on the screen, thus your getting eyestrain from the glare.

It's caused by the slightly out of focus reflections verses the screen image, your eyes are automatically refocusing between the two images.

Your solution in this matter is to apply a anti-glare film to the laptops glossy screen, unfortunately it's going to cost money and be replaced often as it gets dirty, dries out and peels at edges etc.

Ideally a anti-glare matte screen would be the choice in the first place. I use my Mac for 12 hours a day, 7 days a week and don't have the eyestrain problem anymore.

Thanks for your great advice. It's sure worth a try. I'll take a whack at it and respond here.

Hi Ben.

Glad to read your post. I have the same concerns...

I have excellent eyesight. I am 43, but have had no problems with my eyes or sight. Recently (November) purchased the rMBP, and have noticed that my eyes will not find sharp focus for quite a while after I have used my rMBP or iPad (3 - also purchased in the fall). I would have thought it was a problem with using computers in general, but I was using a 2009 MBP for four years prior to this on a daily basis with no problems, and an iMac for three years before that - no problems. It is not just a slight blur that clears up after a few minutes. It is as if my eyes can't hone in on something and focus for quite a while. This is something I have never experienced. Annoying, because as I said - never had any eye problems. The age issue, of course, left me wondering. But if it were natural changes due to aging, I would probably notice it happening in other lighting situations. It is glaringly noticeable after I turn off my electronics and move onto something else. And I eat plenty of carrots, in case anyone was wondering.

Hello rinner, I have just read your post and have the exactly the same issue. I sort of feel like the retina display is so sharp that the eyes see anything else after that as blurry....any ideas how to deal with this issue? It's really a shame since the display, indeed, looks very crisp, fonts are smooth, and graphics are beautiful. The problem is long term useability. I'd appreciate any feedback you might have. Thanks

I have an iPad 3 with retina display andI have the same problem with burning eyes despite setting for brightness turned low. I visited the Apple Store and discussed the issue and was surprised to learn that Apple does not make a matte finish anti-glare screen for iPad 3. Do you have any suggestions about who manufactures anti-glare film and where to purchase? Any alternate solutions. Thanks so much for helpful hints. Betty Ann