Dark Mode is a display mode that is gaining more and more followers. They claim that it reduces eye fatigue, increases battery life and improves sleep quality.
However, the dark mode that appears in more and more applications is not as beneficial to your eyes as you think. Until recently, most applications, whether smartphone or desktop, were using white backgrounds, but both Apple and Google have recently implemented dark mode or are working on it for operating systems and applications.
Microsoft also did this with Windows and Outlook. Also, Reddit, YouTube, Gmail, Twitter or Safari are other programs for which you can choose the dark view mode.
Users love dark mode, and companies have complied. In addition to cool aesthetics, dark mode would have other benefits: prolonged battery life (if the screen is OLED), reduced eye fatigue and improved sleep quality.
As the screens became more and more common in our lives, problems with tiredness, eye irritation also began to appear. A 2018 study shows that over 50% of computer users have problems with their eyes due to their screens.
One reason I would have problems is that I would blink less often. In a minute a man flashes about 15 times, but that number can drop even to 3.6 when you look at the monitor or phone screen. Further headaches and blurred vision may occur.
What are the benefits of dark mode on your phone and laptop?
Many were quick to say that the dark mode will reduce such problems. However, Anna Cox, a professor at UCL, disputes this, saying that there is no concrete evidence that white text on a black background reduces eye fatigue.
Also, not everything is on screen. You also need to consider the environment and how bright it is. In a dark environment a dark mode application might be more enjoyable to look at, but in a very bright environment it might make your eyes even more tired.
Dark mode extends the battery life of the device, but only if it has an OLED display. In the case of OLED, each pixel is activated individually, and this means that the black pixels are inactive so less energy is consumed. This is not the case with LCD, LED or QLED screens.
What to do to avoid hurting your eyes because of the screens
If you really want to combat eye fatigue, then you should choose a matte screen for your work device, adjust the brightness for the environment you are in, make sure you do not have a fixed light above your head and that the screen is right next to your eyes. (neither above nor below). In addition, you can also use the technique 20-20-20: every 20 minutes you look at something 20 feet (6 meters) away, for 20 seconds.
Another enemy of the eyes is the blue light.
The screens of phones, laptops emit a blue light that makes our brain stay awake and it is harder for you to fall asleep. Therefore it is advisable not to use the phone before going to bed.
Does dark mode solve this problem? It helps to solve the problem because the level of blue light emitted by the screen is reduced, but the same effect can be achieved either by switching the phone to a night mode or by changing the temperature of the colors displayed on the screen.