When I Read Texts From a Black Background I See Lines

HareBrain

For the terminal few years I've had real problems with websites that have a dark background and stake text -- reading it for fifty-fifty a few seconds causes subsequently-images, and much longer causes headaches. My vision prescription is up to appointment. I used to think this was only an effect of getting over xl, but so many sites utilise this combination that I wonder if it is actually just me. I thought I'd better discover out before I start my campaign of fist-shaking at websites that use it.

Jo Zebedee

I can't be doing with information technology, it makes my vision go all odd.

Ursa major

I've only tried this in Give-and-take, with one version of a document with the page colour set to black (which automatically made the text white.) If anything, the white text on a black background was clearer, so if you're getting headaches, it may not be considering of any difficulty reading the text (unless those using black backgrounds on their websites are using smaller text sizes of less suitable fonts**).

Simply peradventure the clarity of the text is an issue in itself, that information technology draws one to stare at the text more normal.

** - I expect in that location's some sort of positive correlation between using unusual background colours and using less familiar examples of other parts of the image.

HareBrain

I can't be doing with it, it makes my vision become all odd.

Odd how? Later on-images and stuff?

I've just tried this in Give-and-take, with one version of a document with the folio colour fix to black (which automatically made the text white.)

I have less (but not no) trouble in Word. Try this site here.

Ursa major

I constitute it a bit disorienting at first -- the old brain is slower at adjusting to change than it used to be -- but shortly found it okay.

Perhaps the black is just a bit too blackness, simply as the white is a flake as well white for some on hither. (In the olden days, pure white and deep black were noticeable by their absenteeism on computer screens and TVs.) If you look at the 'Bank check out related posts' section on that page, you'll see that the pure white text is used as a highlight; otherwise the text is a less glaring pale gray.

Jo Zebedee

Odd how? After-images and stuff?

.

I'one thousand subject to aureola migraines and the dissimilarity seems to spark the start of something similar. It might be, equally Ursa says, a thing of getting used to it just when my vision threatens to processed-pikestaff, I shift off whatever'due south causing it.

The Judge · Oct 13, 2014

It doesn't requite me headaches, though I haven't spent any time reading lots of sites of that kind, simply I do get an visual repeat in the blackness spaces between the lines, a kind of blurred whiteness (analagous to the after-prototype you get on looking at vivid light) which I find annoying. (Doubly annoying as it's carried on over to here now, so I'm getting greyness blurred lines as I'grand typing this. Grrr.)

HareBrain

Perhaps the black is just a bit as well black, but as the white is a bit also white for some on here.

Yep, that Fantasy Faction page has nowhere well-nigh every bit bad an outcome equally some that do use pure white on black (I linked to it because I came beyond it this morning and hadn't made a notation of any others). By the sound of information technology, it'due south not universal for, ahem, more mature users, and I should be mentioning information technology to my optician.

ETA: this site seems particularly bad.

Ursa major

It'south cos y'all're all then old.

As white text on a black background doesn't bother me, you and I must be about the same age.

HareBrain

It's cos yous're all so old.

I'k not the i who thinks negatives are even so used in photography.

TheDustyZebra

I recollect, as TJ said, the white text brings upwards an after-image and it dances effectually and makes things get fuzzy.

I wouldn't want to read white on black as a regular thing. It'southward probably because I'm slightly older than Mouse and Ursa. (Though I do know that photography doesn't generally use negatives anymore, but that'southward an occupational hazard.)

Ray McCarthy

White text on Black: It doesn't work so well for pocket-sized text. I forget the explanation. Information technology tin can be clearer and easier to read, merely more than tiring at the aforementioned time! BBC "PPM" used a black ground and white scale with with white needle. This was supposed to exist the result of inquiry. afterwards meters used overlapping green and red pointers for stereo.
There were Ii reasons for VDUs being greenish:
i) Reduced flicker every bit a longer persistence phosphor.
2) Less tiring (this isn't always the same affair as clearer/easier to read!)

Later as colour was coming in the Amber or Orange was preferred equally it was less tiring and clearer, worked improve also as black text on bister background, had less screen burn and a less long persistence than dark-green but shorter than white. The TV screen persistence must not be too much or else moving video has ghost similar trails. Information technology was unusual to even have static graphics much less video on VDUs. The Original IBM-PC was years backside other computers (CP/G Southward-100, other CP/K, Xenix, Human activity Sirius 1 / Victor 9000, Tandy, Commodore, Apple tree II etc) in having NO graphics at all until later Hercules Mono and totally pathetic Slug death CGA, it wasn't till EGA that IBM produced a usable graphics card.

jastius

For the last few years I've had real problems with websites that have a night background and pale text -- reading it for even a few seconds causes after-images, and much longer causes headaches. My vision prescription is up to date. I used to call back this was just an event of getting over 40, but so many sites use this combination that I wonder if information technology is actually but me. I idea I'd better find out earlier I beginning my campaign of fist-shaking at websites that use information technology.

i didn't similar those sites either, harebrain.. merely looked sideways squinty eyed at that text.
whenever there is weird text colour size or font that is hard to read, i copy and paste it into give-and-take and read it on a plain page. thats how i deal with such stuff.
my problem with retinal wink like that, is that my retinas are problematic, having been injured to the point of being detached as a result of a auto blow.
harebrain it sounds like you lot may have very sensitive retinas that may be field of study to pinholing, small torn areas.
please have an ophamologist do a retinal browse to dominion this out, if you lot oasis't already. the boilerplate optician has neitherthe equipment nor the training for such a survey, at least not over here, and many people have this problem but undiagnosed and untreated.
caught early, its an easy laser surgery prepare, in function, and not the extended surgery to try and rebuild your eyes that may even so exit you with partial blindness, double vision or torn tendons in the eyes (cross-eyed), or if there isn't much left to work with, legal blindness.

Karn Maeshalanadae

I don't really intendance for information technology myself, either. The ones I really don't like, though, are ones that deviate abroad from the monochrome.

Greens and electric blues are the worst. Dark ruby as a groundwork isn't bad, though it is ofttimes hard to see text on such...and then with it frequently goes yellow, some other horrid text. Ugh.

Boneman

Yep - and my website has it!!! It will shut down shortly and be transferred to 'proper' black on white groundwork. It seemed such a good idea at the time...