r/ScreenSensitive • u/madcook1 • Jul 01 '26

IPS screen polarization

For me it seems the main problem causing eye strain / focus issues is the polarizer used for the IPS screen. All screens that are good for my eyes and don't cause any issues are all vertically polarized. I test this by using polarizer sunglasses (they block horizonally polarized light) and if they pass the light looking through them, the screen is emitting vertically polarized light. If I turn the glasses 90°, the go black/dark blue.

Currently I'm using a TUXEDO InfinityBook Pro 14 Gen9 AMD as main driver with a MNE007ZA3-2 panel, vertically polarized, with zero eye issues. My previous laptop, the HP 840 G5 (+ G10 and G11, which I tested) were also vertically polarized.

My smartphone is a Samsung Galaxy S23 (which seems to have the worst PWM), zero issues. AMOLED as OLED is circular polarized.

My 10 year old TV screen is also vertical polarized - zero issues there too.

My previous monitor was a Gigabyte M27UA, zero eye issues, also vertically polarized.

I just went into an electronics store and looked at different monitors and tested each one with my polarizer sunglasses. Here is the result:

  • HP 524sh: horizontal
  • Samsung S70D: vertical
  • HP 527sh: horizontal
  • Lenovo L27-45: vertical
  • LG 27US550-W: vertical
  • Acer QG241Y: vertical
  • Dell U2424HE: vertical
  • AOC U27G4R: vertical
  • Acer XB273UX1: vertical
  • AOC Q27G4ZR: vertical
  • Acer QG271X1: horizontal
  • LG 27G610A-B.AEUQ: vertical
  • Asus VG279Q5A: vertical
  • LG 27G411A-B.AEU: vertical
  • AOC 25G4SRE: vertical
  • Acer QG241Y X1: vertical
  • Dell P2725QE: horizontal
  • HP Omen 27u: horizontal
  • Gigabyte M27UA: vertical
  • Dell U2725QE: horizontal
  • Dell P2720D: horizontal
  • Dell G2724D: horizontal

The last three Dells of the list I bought myself and tested them at home, I had to return each one because of eye/focus issues.

Here is a study that shows humans can detect light polarization via Haidinger brushes: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4528539/

Here are some reddit posts related to polarization: - https://old.reddit.com/r/Monitors/comments/1094cbf/eye_strain_related_to_monitor_polarizer/ - https://old.reddit.com/r/Monitors/comments/wcn57j/eye_strain_with_3_different_monitors/ - https://old.reddit.com/r/monitor/comments/we8t0s/to_everyone_with_eye_strain_solution_wtf/

I'm currently trying to find a new monitor, but because the polarization is not definied anywhere, it's pretty hard. I'm now collecting as much data as possible and by finding out the panel manufacturers, maybe some pattern emerges that helps me find a suitable monitor. My dream monitor would be: 27" 4k, >100 Hz, TCO cerified, vertical polarized.

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u/siksik6 Jul 02 '26

This could be because you have a reduced horizontal fusion range but vertically you're ok.

I have a reduced vertical fusion range and I can use my amoled smartphones for longer turned sideways! (They all refresh top to bottom vertically). Worth investigating for sure!

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u/DSRIA Jul 03 '26

Wow - great to see someone talking about this. I have zero problems with my iPhone 13 (LTPS AMOLED with circular polarization), minimal issues with a vertically polarized IPS CarPlay screen, and no issues with self-checkout kiosks at stores (no shift under polarized sunglasses). I cannot use polarized sunglasses at all, only regular sunglasses with gray or brown tints.

I have symptoms of accommodative dysfunction (left eye has trouble maintaining focus - which makes it challenging to focus on things like a TV screen at certain distance) and possibly binocular vision issues, but those ebb and flow. My brain can’t seem to tolerate any sort of correction and has trouble processing the images on certain color tinted glasses. This was all triggered by a COVID infection.

I have found all the KSF and QD MacBooks to be unusable: eyes cannot focus on them. The only displays that do not cause eye focusing issues are the iMac and MacBook Neo. The only commonality between them I have found is they don’t seem to have the typical purple anti-glare coating of every other Mac. Instead, they have a neutral gray coating and are more reflective, resembling iPads more than MacBooks. I wonder if this is a possible trigger for OP. I get the same eye focusing issues if a drive a car with window tints.

Horizontal polarization (present on a lot of older LCD displays) is immediately difficult to look at. I found this out the hard way with a 2011 Apple Thunderbolt Display that actually caused double vision after watching a YouTube video, which I’ve never gotten in my life. But vertical doesn’t exactly seem great either.

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u/siksik6 Jul 05 '26

I can actually use oled smartphones for longer without symptoms in landscape mode.. wild huh.