Reading On A Cellphone Screen Turns Out To Be More Comfortable In Light Mode Than Dark Mode

Illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Almost all applications and software now have a dark mode feature. The application is not considered up to date if this feature is not embedded.

It is said that one of the advantages is that it makes the eyes more relaxed when looking at the cellphone screen. But is that really true?

Many factors affect the brightness of the cellphone screen. Starting from changes in the light of the morning afternoon to evening, and the content that is being accessed.

For example in the early morning, when the sun has not yet risen, maybe at that time people often read the news. When it means the environment is in a dark situation and the screen is bright white. Then during the day one might be wrestling with the Spreadsheet or Word application in bright light.

And at night, for example, while watching a movie on Netflix, people see a screen with a dark mode background in a dark environment.

These various situations contribute to eye strain. Maybe for ordinary people with bright screens, changing the background to dark (dark mode) will make the eyes more relaxed, especially when reading. Though not really.

According to Hall and Hanna's research, entitled Web Text-Background Color, published by the University of Missouri, during the day, people who read on a bright screen with dark text will find it easier to read and absorb more information.

"Contrast makes details easy to see, and most readers are used to reading dark text in bright light."

Another reason why a white background makes reading easier is the biological reason for the human eye. In the human visual system, the eye will overreact to bright objects against a dark background.

So in a text context, white text on a black background will make it appear shaded, and that makes it harder to read.

However, what is in science is also limited and what the general public seems to experience today is something different from the results of the study.

Before dark mode was popular as it is now, they often used special glasses to cover blue light and put lights around the back of their monitors to create a white background on the screen. Thus reducing the irritating effect on the eyes.

And now, where monitor screens, especially cellphones, are increasingly being used everywhere, not a few people are demanding screens with dark mode features.

This makes many websites offer a dark mode option when visiting them. On Twitter, for example, they provide a dark mode with a dark blue background.

Meanwhile, Netflix, has already designed its pages, with white text on a black and gray background. But at least when in a brightly lit room or room, the best setting for the eyes is to stick with the light mode.

All of these things, of course, return to the convenience of each user. In essence, when your eyes feel tense and tired, immediately change the background color mode on the application or page you are visiting.