Hey guys, kinda as a follow up to my thread about ergonomic seating for extended computer use, just wondering what you guys think about my set up with 3 monitors lol!? I got 3 monitors in front of me, tho usually only got 2 on at any given time. now my eyes have started to ache a little after extensive PC use (my own fault I know, I'm taking regular breaks now!) just wondering if anyone else has any opinions on multi-monitor use an how to reduce eye strain etc?
I find that the ambient light, more so than the monitors themselves, tends to be the main reason for eye strain. At my work, the outside offices have floor to ceiling windows. I have found that a vast majority of the people who have their monitor positioned so that the window is directly behind it report problems with eye strain. Be aware that this can be just as much of an issue if you have any light source significantly brighter than your monitor(s) in your field of view while looking at them. It can even cause issues if your desk is particularly reflective.
4 monitors ergonomically is usefull. It allows the user to customize their work space by dragging tasks into another window while less essential information is being displayed (PORN). This is useful as when a user is working on a task, remaining in one static position for too long is uncomfortable. Letting a user have free movement within their environment helps alleviate their discomfort and allows them to focus on the job at hand. Its all about the psychology in user action and error prevention dude.
There, I fixed that for you. I have a 30" and 2 20" monitors and I have no problems with eyestrain. However, my monitors are arranged in an arc so that whichever monitor I'm looking at I'm facing it straight on, it's possible that that helps. Moriquendi
I have all the monitors facing me. That said I have 2 19"s. But my secondary monitor is within my peripheral vision at least.
got a 22" widescreen in front of me and a 17" to the left. eps/movies on the 17" everything else on the 22" never had an issue
i had a 20" IPS dell panel next to a 17" TN panel and the differences not only did my head in, but caused really funny colour distortion in my peripheral vision. I have now upgraded to 2 identical 20" IPS panels, and my life is now complete. A third would be nice, but i'll need an Eyefinity GPU or that Matrox triple head thing or i'll go mad not using them all at once.
3 22" widescreens in an arc in front of me at home, no problems with that at all. As Fisher said, it's more likely down to the light direction and/or intensity. I use an uplighter behind the monitors so that they block any direct light and have never had any problems. @djDEATH: I bought a 9400 just for extra monitor outputs. Works a treat.
I'm currently running 3x24" monitors. One in the center that's my main monitor, and one on each side. I have found that the two on the sides need to have some kind of light on them. Preferably not too bright, but not completely dark either. I also have two spotlights in the ceiling that cast light more or less straight down on my desk (corner desk). The area it illuminates stops approx. at the edges of my keyboard, making a slightly darker area in front of my main monitor. I have found that this works very well. If i want to turn of the lights (to watch a movie or something) I usually reduce the light on the secondary monitors. I think the trick is to keep an even level of light over you entire field of view. It's way more comfortable on the eyes. I think the reason why you are noticing problems now is that you are staring at a larger area of light. Also, remember that many monitors have a factory setting that give an image that is WAY too bright for a normal room at home. At an office building this my be OK as the rooms are normally brighter. Try turning down the brightness of the monitor. Turn down until you feel that the white on a completely white page is getting a tad gray. Try that for a few days, then do the fine adjustments.
i have 2x18.5 inches (funny size i know) acer lcd screens and have had to put boxes under them to stop back pain but they are great and other people do question why i have 2 (use pc for homework) but when you get 2 you just want more. i like the saying that was said eairlier " Screen estate is like money. You can never have too much. " will use it when people ask why i have 2 monitors
I use 2 x 22" wide monitors for work, I'd recently been suffering from head/neck aches. Turns out the cause was having a window directly behind the monitors, as having a brighter light source in your view while looking at monitors can cause the strain. In the last couple of days I've been working with the curtains closed and I've been fine. I'm gonna rearrange my office for a more permanent solution though.
A more appropriate solution is to have the monitors 90 degrees to the primary light source. If you give me a rough diagram i can help come up with a solution to help you out.
No such thing as too many monitors. Unless you get to a stage where you no longer have the means to put an image on them all, but then all that needs to happen is that you need to get a more manly set of hardware.
+1 to this, ive exactly the same setup and found that with a gentle uplight behind my 3-4 screens helped reduce eye strain, along with the monitors in an arc so each is essesntially the same distence away from my head.
