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Summary: The default settings for many computer monitors can cause headaches, but there's often a simple change that might resolve the problem. The images on my screen seem to shimmer or flicker and give me a headache - is there anything I can do? Computers can cause headaches, but it's usually because they're doing or not doing something we do or don't want. In this case it might well be that just looking at your computer screen long enough could hurt. As it turns out, the default settings for many video cards are often less than ideal. • The problem from the card manufacturer's point of view is that they cannot assume that you have anything beyond the bare minimum requirements for a Windows compatible display. These days that typically means 640x480 resolution, 256 colors, and a 60 Hertz refresh rate. It's that default refresh rate that always drives me nuts. "Refresh Rate" is, to over-simplify, the number of times each second that the video card draws an image of your screen on the monitor. That's typically much faster than you or I might notice. But it's slow enough that as you look at your monitor, especially if you look from side to side, you might notice a bit of flickering. Depending on the capabilities of your monitor and video card you can probably change your refresh rate to something else. Most video cards and monitors support settings other than 60hz. And it doesn't take much of a change to make the flicker go away. To change your monitor's refresh rate in Windows XP:
Just about anything higher than 60hz is enough to reduce or eliminate visible flicker. 72hz or 75hz seem popular and commonly available options. What if 60hz is the only option listed? Well, there are three possibilities:
Finally, the limits of your ability to view video are typically due to your monitor. A monitor that claims to be capable of displaying, say, 1600x1200 may be able to do so but not with a crisp image. Set the resolution as high as you can see comfortably, but no higher. Slightly fuzzy images, like flicker, can cause eyestrain and give you a headache. Related:
Article 195 | Posted May 10, 2004 |
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A new Sony LCD tv - 26 inch seems to run quite a bit hotter than a tube tv. --- it even has a fan and hot plastic (subtle) can be detected in front.Are LCDs known for more toxic outgassing? Does it lessen, and is it a concern - worth going to a different type of tv. I seem to get a headache from it- but it was expensive.
thanks,.
Michael
Posted by: michael lee at April 23, 2006 10:27 PMFreekLord, I think the problem is the font size. To change the font size go to display->appearance->advanced. Now click on the bar tha comes down and is called Item (it will be set to desktop). Then go to icon, now you can change font, font size and icon size. I use Tahoma. Icon size 31 and font size 8. This may also help tawania, if not, there are many other options in what I just explained that will because I have had both of these problems.
Posted by: The Person at June 15, 2006 12:21 PMI put my system into standby today. When I came back 4 hours later it didn't turn on with mouse or keyboard input. So I rebooted it. The icons had all lined up on the left and they had a flicker (although the desktop background did not). In other programs, information in the window is fine, but the border and menus flicker. I suppose it is more of a regular flash once every 5 seconds or so.
No settings have changed. Refresh rate is 85hz.
Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks
Posted by: ben at November 21, 2006 2:42 AMOn Friday I started to use my new LG LCD monitor. There was a smell like someone was smoking something in the room, but no one could. Later that night I became ill. Saturday early morning I was taken to the ER, I have not been that ill in many years. After 3 hours I was released, and the Flu was suggested.
Sunday morning I turned on the computer and sometime later I went back into my computer room
& bedroom. The fumes hit me quickly. I immediately became ill, nausea, dizzy and felt very ill again. So I immediately turned off the monitor, opened doors and windows and stayed on the living room couch. I began to feel better and recovered quickly.
I am now looking for a testing facility to find out what I was exposed to, and then find out if any long term effects are known.
Beware of new monitors. If it smels, gives you a headache or anything peculiar STOP USING IT!
Posted by: Gary Bkb at November 27, 2006 5:48 PMMy medical bills will easily be more than 10 LCD monitors.
I found a similar problem that caused me to become nauseated and dizzy. But instead of the cause being the monitor, I found it was the air contained inside of the computer being outputted by the fans in the back of the computer. When I better vented the room, added a top notch air cleaner and set my power settings such that the computer would effectively turn off after 15 minutes on non-use, my symptoms have largely dissappeared. After later using a laptop computer in a different and well vented room, I found most all my systems disappeared.
Although a number of people have suggested the problem relates to the monitor, I'm convinced that in many cases it's the chemicals and heavy metals that are used to manufacture the boards and contained within the computer (e.g., mercury, leaded plastics, pcbs, solder, to name just a few of the many hundreds) that are causing the problem. I imagine if the federal government tested the output from the back of the computer being pumped out by the cooling fans they'd find that many toxins are being outputted into your living or working spaces. It's funny that computers must be carefully disposed of due to the many toxins contained in them, but it's okay to use them in the house and working spaces even though they're heated up to relatively high temperatures (releasing at least some of the toxins into the air) and then cooled by fans that pump these toxins and heavy metals out into your local environment.
I'd be very interested to know whether any objective organization has ever checked this out?
Posted by: Peter King at December 27, 2006 8:59 AMTry switching from the VGA cord and using the DVI cord instead. Worked for me.
Posted by: asdfsadfsadf at January 6, 2007 9:11 PMI am the proud new owner of a 46 inch lcd1080 as I acquiessed to my husband during a mental lapse. I now have the behemoth stinking up the family room and want to know how long it will take to outgas with the windows open, and if the danger passes once it outgasses. Please answer as I am nervous, I have a child.Thanks.
Posted by: Michelle Shevlin at September 21, 2007 9:11 AMCan the flicker be 'measured',strobed or videoed in some way so that I can avoid the 'Headache Test'and persuade the non seers to FIX IT?
Posted by: B Phillips at November 28, 2007 12:02 PMJust to thank you for this, it worked perfectly and saved a lengthy wait for IT to fix my work PC screen :o)
Posted by: TLW at February 20, 2008 11:23 AMI'vehad greatdifficulty looking at any computer screen for more than 15 minutes.If
Posted by: Robert Alton at June 24, 2008 12:51 PMeelstrain in my head and it only gets worse if Idon't stop. Idon't reactthis way to most old TV screens. What's the difference,coulditbethe refresh rate I'mreactingto? My computer is adjustablebetween 60-75, butitdoesn'tseemtomake any differnce.