If you own a cell phone, laptop, tablet, or another electronic gadget, you have most likely had to choose between dark and light mode screen settings. Most social networking applications now feature dark mode settings, even if you have not changed your phone’s theme.
In an age where smart devices appear to be everywhere, it is critical to take measures to help protect your vision, even if it is as simple as turning on the dark mode on your cell phone. Is dark mode better for your eyes?
On most apps and devices, the default setting is for black text on a white backdrop. When you set your device to dark mode, it will show white text on a dark background.
Many people enable dark mode on their Windows or YouTube, among other apps and operating systems.
The dark mode is designed to limit blue light exposure and relieve eye strain caused by lengthy periods of screen time.
So, it effectively lowers glare and blue light, both of which are beneficial to your eyes. Dark mode, on the other hand, is not for everyone. In some circumstances, it can actually cause more issues than it resolves.
Let’s delve into the specifics below: what is dark mode, what are its benefits, and is dark mode better for your eyes?
What is Dark Mode?
Many smartphone models, Windows, and upcoming applications have a setting called dark mode.
In Dark Mode, the color scheme is inverted, with light-colored text and icons on a dark background. The default setting on most mobile devices is the light mode, which displays dark text on a white or light background.
To put your device into a dark mode, go to the display and brightness options in your device’s settings. You will be able to switch to dark mode from here. Most apps also have a dark mode that can be enabled in the app’s settings.
You can enable it on your web browsers like Google Chrome as well.
Is Dark Mode Better for Your Eyes?
Although dark mode provides many benefits, it may not be the best option for your eyes. The dark mode is beneficial since it is less taxing on the eyes than a sharp, gleaming white screen.
On the other hand, using a dark screen causes your pupils to dilate, making it more challenging to focus on the screen/display.
Your eyesight becomes blurry when your pupils dilate. Your vision sharpens as your pupils constrict in solid light. A smaller aperture, just like a camera, allows for more depth of focus. As a result, some people may find it more challenging to discern screen details in dark mode.
Dark mode reduces the amount of blue light emitted by the screen of a smart device, but not to the point where it has any effect on the macula.
The macula, which is located in the middle of your retina, is critical for good vision. One of the most common causes of visual loss is age-related macular degeneration.
In terms of the danger of retinal damage or macular degeneration, the average amounts of blue light emitted by consumer devices are negligible.
Furthermore, there is still no scientific evidence that dark mode helps to minimize eye strain. With the usage of smart devices, severe eye damage or problems are not a concern.
Why Dark Mode Is Better?
Dark mode has a number of benefits, including increased battery life and lower glare and blue light exposure. Let us discuss the prevalent ones.
Increases the Battery Life
Using dark mode can prolong your battery life by up to 30%, allowing you to charge your phone less frequently. It is useful when you do not have time to charge your phone over and over again. This is especially true for OLED displays, where the screen turns itself off on the part where black is supposed to be shown.
If you find it difficult to read in dark mode, you can extend your battery life by decreasing the brightness in regular mode.
Blue light has been linked to symptoms of digital eye strain, such as dry eyes, headaches, and blurred vision, despite the fact that most research contradicts this theory.
It has been shown to disrupt sleep cycles, making it harder to get enough rest if you are exposed to too much blue light close at night time.
Helps to Avoid Screen Glare
When you are watching your display in a dark room, the bright light from standard display settings might induce glare, which is an uncomfortable amount of contrast between the display and the rest of your environment. Dark mode reduces glare on your display and allows for better viewing.
Reduces the Blue Light Exposure
Using dark mode on your smartphone will help you cut down on blue light exposure.
A blue light filter feature is now found on many smartphones. You can see the difference it brings in the picture with Filter On and Filter Off.
You may modify the quantity of blue light emitted from your screen using the filter, which should also be found in display settings. It is an excellent choice for folks who can’t see well in dark mode but still want to be protected from blue light.
In light mode, you may also dim your screen manually and adjust your brightness to adapt automatically according to the ambient lighting. If you don’t want to use dark mode, either choice will successfully reduce glare.
However, these anecdotes about blue light and eyes aren’t always backed up by study or professional opinion.
Conclusion
For those who spend a lot of time looking at a computer display in their offices or playing video games for hours, the dark mode may help reduce eye strain and dry eye.
However, there is no solid evidence that dark mode does anything other than lengthen your device’s battery life.
Although the dark mode is a personal choice for some, it isn’t always better for your eyes. It’s also not a replacement for more effective methods of reducing eye strain.
Giving dark mode a try will not cost you anything and will not harm your eyes.
