Taking Care of Our Eyes
The more complex a machine is, the more intensive care it tends to require. Our bodies, by contrast, despite being possibly the most diverse interdependent network of intricate systems on the planet, are reasonably easy to keep in good working order. Nutritious food, moderate exercise, quality sunscreen, and adequate eye care (sunglasses, optical checkups, etc.) are four major pillars of a healthy life.
Technology Influences our Health: Flicker Rate
As the Internet continues to entrench itself in our lives as an ever-more indispensable resource, we all spend more daily time staring at a backlit screen than we may realize. Your average LCD display has a subtle yet damaging flicker rate of 200 times per second. This causes eye fatigue and discomfort whether you notice it or not.
Tech developers have been taking note of this phenomenon long before it came to the public's attention. Research into ways to cut down on screen flicker has culminated in display options that even the most web-dependent among us can comfortably use for long periods of time, at work or play.
Gamers and Eye Strain
Play was initially the bigger motivator for this research — video game enthusiasts were some of the earliest sufferers of the eye-straining effects of screen flicker. The average online gamer dedicated 6.5 hours a week to the pastime as of April 2016, while professional and hardcore gamers habitually log much more time than that (and have been doing so for years). ZeroFlicker™ screen technology, pioneered with gamers in mind, utilizes a unique circuit controller that modulates the backlight pulses emitted by an active screen. Since its inception, this advance has been built into monitors that suit the needs of other screen-heavy occupations: graphic design and professional photography.
Eye Strain and Work
Even if your line of work doesn't rely as heavily on visuals as the pursuits mentioned above, you likely still spend much of your day using a screen (large or small) to help in your occupational and personal tasks.
How Can I Reduce Eye Strain?
One way to reduce Eye Strain is choosing a ZeroFlicker monitor that will work wonders for your eye comfort and help alleviate the headaches that often result from eye tension.
Furthermore, taking care of your eyes today ensures that they'll serve you well far into the future. Failing eyesight is an inconvenience at best, a tragedy at worst, and expensive to cure either way. Avoid premature eye problems by investing in your eye health now — starting with smart screen usage that doesn't wear your eyes out with unnecessary backlight flicker.
TÜV Rheinland, which evaluates electronics for quality and user safety, gave BenQ the first flicker-free certification ever awarded by the organization. This honor highlights the importance of monitors that promote eye health through low blue light emissions.
To see what other ways you can prevent eye strain read our article on blue light eye care.
