DisplayTuneEye strain from a monitor: what to adjust
Dry, stinging, heavy eyes by the evening are common for people who work and play at a computer. Some causes are fixed with screen settings, some with habits.
Main causes
- A screen too bright for a dark room — the most common one.
- Blinking less: at a screen we blink less often and eyes dry out.
- Backlight flicker (PWM) on some monitors at low brightness.
- An awkward distance and screen position.
- Cold bluish white in the evening.
Screen settings
| What to adjust | How |
|---|---|
| Brightness | To the room: white no brighter than a sheet of paper |
| Evening temperature | 5000–5500 K or a warm profile |
| Text | Larger: 125–150% scaling on 27" and bigger monitors |
| Flicker | If you notice it at low brightness, keep brightness higher and turn on a light |
| Theme | Light in the day, dark in the evening — whichever is comfortable |
Habits
- The 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet (6 m) away for 20 seconds.
- Keep the screen at arm's length (50–70 cm), top of the screen at eye level or slightly below.
- Do not sit in total darkness: add soft bias lighting behind the monitor or a lamp.
- Blink consciously and air the room — dry air makes dry eyes worse.
Eye comfort profiles
DisplayTune has an Eye comfort group: Reading, Soft, Warm evening, Less blue, Night shift, Dimmed and Paper. Put them on an evening schedule, and games will still switch on their own profiles automatically.
Reading, Warm evening, Less blue, Night shift and Paper presets, a time-of-day schedule and separate profiles for games. Works on NVIDIA, AMD and Intel. First day free.
Try it freePricing — from 200 RUBWant to see how it looks first? Load your own screenshot into the free Vibrance simulator →
Frequently asked questions
What monitor settings are best for your eyes?
Brightness matched to the room, warmer temperature in the evening, large enough text and no noticeable flicker.
What is the 20-20-20 rule?
Every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet (6 m) away for 20 seconds so your eyes can relax.
Does a warm screen help with eye strain?
In the evening, yes — it is more comfortable and interferes less with sleep. In the daytime neutral temperature is usually more comfortable.