Optimizing Display for My Wonky Eyes & Brain

When I began computing, everything was dark mode: green pixels on a gray-green screen. ( (just like this one, resting on two mighty 158k floppy disk drives on an Apple IIe) )

I was thrilled when the Mac showed up with black on white! So much easier on the eyes! I was mystified and repelled when Adobe products began showing a dark UI. Now it’s the hot new thing--the next version of iOS will offer it.

I learned a lot from TidBITS’s deep dive into why dark mode isn’t actually that much easier on the eyes.

https://tidbits.com/2019/05/31/the-dark-side-of-dark-mode/

The full article discusses the science of visual perception, and acknowledges its conclusions are relevant to typical eyesight. Some people’s vision requirements are different, and I’m very glad that modern computer systems let us change displays to optimize for what we can see.

Last week when I was kvelling about my new glasses, killing_rose explained how rose-colored glasses minimized migraine

( My Apple devices let me create helpful tints with software )

ETA Feb 2021:

• Setting Color Filters on iOS 14
• Adjusting Screen Color Calibration in macOS

Can You Read My Lips?

Is an outstanding short film demonstrates the experience of lipreading both aurally and visually. Narrated by Rachel Kolb, the film is based on her 2013 essay Seeing at the Speed of Sound

( video within )