As I said, I used a 60 Hz monitor in the 90's on an all day long basis for several years without problems.


It's quite clear that anyone who allows himself to be informed on the basis of the opinion of one expert when that opinion contradicts his own extensive experience is either too trusting of the appellation 'expert' or just plain gullible.

People used to spend hours watching 50-60hz interlaced TV's for decades without suffering eyestrain.

A tiny number of people can see flicker at lower refresh rates, it's one reason why 100Hz sets were developed. But as in all cases, it's not causing any damage to the eyes,. it's an old wifes tale that watcing a TV closely damges your eyes.

Fluorescent office lighting in conjunction with low-refresh CRTs was bad news for me as a migraine sufferer.

Removing the light-bulbs from the adjacent fittings to my desk ameliorated the effects but did not totally remove them.

No, the experts opinion re-enforces my opinion and the people who watched TVs did so far enough away from the set. The same goes for me, the only problem is sitting close to a low hz source which means there is something to being told not to sit close.

If more than half suffer from that as indicated then Im right.

You saying you dont suffer from it so it doesnt happen makes as much sense as someone who doesnt break a leg playing football means no one breaks a leg playing football.

Asthenopia (aesthenopia) or eye strain is an ophthalmological condition that manifests itself through nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue, pain in or around the eyes, blurred vision, headache and occasional double vision. Giving the eyes a chance to focus on a distant object at least once an hour usually alleviates the problem.

A CRT computer monitor with a low refresh rate (<70Hz) or a CRT television can cause similar problems because the image has a visible flicker. Aging CRTs also often go slightly out of focus, and this can cause eye strain. LCDs do not go out of focus and are less susceptible to visible flicker.

More proof. So focusing on further away makes the problem go away which means sitting close is the problem.

High hz CRTs ok
LCDs ok
Low hz CRTs not ok, exactly what I said.

Ive proved you both wrong so its the end of the thread, you cant sit there with your head in the sand and arguing until your blue in the face, it wont change the fact that youre wrong.

It's not just that it didn't happen to me, it didn't happen to a lot of people.

Back when CAD workstations were first being used and for quite a time thereafter, graphics adapters could not achieve the resolutions that were required and were continually 'pushing the envelope'. For each advance in resolution the highest resolution of which the card was capable would always operate at a very low refresh rate.

And you would get roomsful of designers using monitors at this rate, concentrating on their screens for hours each day without problems.

You need to face it: the so called 'expert' you quoted was plain wrong. (Although, as someone mentioned above, if you have certain special problems the low refresh rate could cause you difficulties.)

We've already agreed that a tiny number of people can have problems with lower refresh rates.

But in any case, as we keep telling you, IT DOESN'T CAUSE ANY DAMAGE TO THE EYE - it's just an old wifes tail..

Hi Nigel, I have an LCD TV and I have found that if I view it from the recommended distance after a short while my eyes start to ache and my vision goes blurry,if I move further away from the set the problem goes away.

So I don't really know who is right or wrong, I'm just pointing out how I am affected personally.

Children! It's time you all kissed and made up, I've not read such twaddle for ages. I love my CRT TV. I love my CRT PC monitor. I don't like my laptop. I don't like my LED/LCD extra TV in the conservatory. I sit 12" away from my PC monitor. I do not suffer from eye strain. I did have to have cataracts removed and silicon lenses inserted (which are wonderful. by the way) but I think that was genetic - Dad had the same problem and he never had a PC.

Compare the subtended angle at which you view TV with that in the cinema - I'll bet it's bigger. How many people go to the cinema and sit on the front row of the stalls? The front row of the circle subtends a smaller angle than many people watch TVs. Watching HD - it's like the idiots who listened to their HiFi rather than listened to the music.

Watch the programmes and enjoy them! (looking slightly downwards at the screen)

That sounds as if you need glasses.

If you are suffering from normal, age related, deterioration in close vision the two early warning signs are:

1) You find it hard to read in lower light situations.
2) You can view something close to for a while but then your vision becomes blurred.

In fact, anyone can demonstrate (2) by focusing on something as closely as they possibly can and waiting a few seconds. As the muscles in your eye are working flat out to do this they will quickly tire.

Sitting at a certain distance may put them under just enough strain that they will hold focus for a while but will eventually give up and your vision will go blurred. This shouldn't do any long term harm but you won't be able to see the TV.

Most libraries sell reading glasses and you can get a pair of the weakest and see if that improves matters.

Jepson I do wear glasses,and have done for many years.
Oh! before anyone suggests that my prescription is out of date,it is not!!

Tell your optician about your problem, and they will try and take account of it in your prescription - if they don't know, they probably won't try and do anything about it.

But again - IT'S NOT DAMAGING YOUR EYES!!! - which is what this section has been about, the 'old wives tale' that watching TV from too close damages your eyes..

[quote=Nigel Goodwin;43959661]Tell your optician about your problem, and they will try and take account of it in your prescription - if they don't know, they probably won't try and do anything about it.

But again - IT'S NOT DAMAGING YOUR EYES!!! - which is what this section has been about, the 'old wives tale' that watching TV from too close damages your eyes..[/QUOTE

My optician is well aware of this problem and he has done as much as he can with my prescription and finally he suggested that I try sitting further away from the television.I did and the problem(for me)disappeared!!

I NEVER SAID THAT THE TV WAS DAMAGING MY EYES!!

I commented that I suffered DISCOMFORT if I sat close to it.

Regarding HD picture quality. I have a Sky HD box in the bedroom with a 19" LCD & can clearly tell it is HD, a far better picture. I also have a 42" plasma & notice it does depend on the type of picture. A dark scene is much the same as SD, many internal scenes also. Many studio programmes, outside scenes & nature programmes & there is a big difference.

I find that my prescription glasses were not quite strong enough to sit close to the TV (and they're not strong enough to work on the computer but I can quickly get a piece of information off the screen.) I got a pair of 1.25 diopter reading glasses and could then watch TV close to for as long as I wanted.

I just found I didn't like being that close to the set.

my glasses are varifocal and I can actually get a clear picture close to,but after a little while the discomfort starts.

however like you I don't like being too close to the set,and unlike OP's I find it perfectly easy to appreciate HD quality from a distance.Perhaps they need glasses?