Using a Kindle May Reduce Eye-Related Stress From Book Reading
The Kindle and the Nook are the newest electronic books and are seriously changing how we read. These amazing reading devices with their improved contrast ratio and ability to increase print size, can now provide a superior reading experience compared to paper-back books; and are now as-good-as or in some cases better in providing a comfortable long-term reading experience compared to the hard-back book.
Unfortunately the group of individuals that would benefit most from these new e-books is also the group that is slowest to accept this amazing technology. What group are we referring to? Well as a hint, from visual science we know that for each decade after the age of 40 we need twice as much light as the previous decade and we are more dependant on magnification to see near print.
So if you are “driving” past 55 in age, or if you have found long-term reading stressful you might seriously consider the benefits of these e-books.
Eye-strain is reduced by increasing print size which acts like increasing the magnification. But unlike optical devises that need to follow the rules of physics (increased magnification requires closer reading distances), these e-books allow the reader to increase the size (magnification) and increase the contrast without having to hold the reading closer.
We know that reading from computers either desk-top and even lap tops is visually highly stressful. But with these light-weight electronic books the reader now can position them as they would hold a book, so that the screen is adjusted to the reader instead of the reader having to adjust for the screen.
Although we have no financial interest in either Amazon.com’s Kindle or Barnes & Noble’s Nook we recommend you look into these amazing e-books. Additionally if you know someone with early macular degeneration or other sight-dimming conditions you might attempt to show them these newer e-books so they can re-gain some of their enjoyment in reading again.
I think of my grandmother often when I pick up my Kindle. She still reads her paperback romance novels, with that tiny print.
Maybe I can get her to convert for Christmas.
Thanks for your comment. Yes your grandmother is exactly the individual who could benefit most from this great technology. Don’t know if Amazon has her paperback romance novels available for the Kindle but if you could find one she is reading and see if you can put it on your Kindle for her to “try it out”.
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This is very interesting and contrary to what I would have expected. I am also interested in learning more about the impact a smart phone can have on my vision.
Paul,
The point I wanted to make is that many people with even slightly limited sight for close work could benefit from these newer electronic books but think that these new e-books are just small versions of the traditional desk top or lap top computer screens. In fact the e-book technology such as “E Ink” is superior for pro-longed reading with ‘flicker free’ displays, increased contrast plus the huge benefit of being able to increase the print size while holding the reading material in a normal reading posture.
Your second question about “the impact a smart phone can have on my vision” really demands a longer discussion and I’ll start working on a blog post to address this important topic. Briefly though I’ll share with you the advice from my friend and colleague Dr. Jim Sheedy, director of research at Pacific University, “handheld devices are primarily designed for performing short-term tasks, and long term viewing increases the risk for symptoms” and visual stress.