
Are dark themes bad for your eyes? Alan Kay seems to think so - walkingolof
https://www.quora.com/Is-a-dark-mode-light-text-on-dark-background-really-better-for-the-eyes?share=1
======
ListeningPie
The title does not represent the content of his answer. This is the line

'A dark close up display will induce dark adaptation while looking at it and
light adaptation when looking elsewhere.'

Meaning keep the light from the monitor consistent with your surroundings, to
avoid having to readjust.

Going a bit further into his point, the tests were done on a CRT not an LCD,
where black is no light, not just a grey. LCD black is not really black so I
don't think it 'induce(s) dark adaptation'. Even when we have OLEDS and low
brightness text that would be dark enough trigger adaption monitors have an
ambient lighting setting that would crank brightness to be clearly visible on
a sunny day, adding light to the dark elements.

Finally I use dark mode, when working in the dark, exactly the 'troglodytish
existence' he advices against.

------
os2mac
Having spent many years in US Navy Radar Rooms, NOC's and the like. I can tell
you that white interfaces are the digital equivalent of being snow blind. it's
MUCH easier on your eyes and your vision if you utilize dark backgrounds (or
darkmodes) than it is to use bright interfaces... that's not just my opinion
but something born from experience...

~~~
Crontab
Agreed. When I worked in CIC/CDC, it was always darkened, and a white
interface would have been super annoying.

------
shishy
Dark themes work are only comfortable for me when the ambient lighting in the
room is dim/dark because otherwise, as Alan says, if the room is bright, then
the transition between the screen and the room hurts a little bit.

I think the other question is in terms of readability: I've always found light
background/dark text to be more readable.

Maybe it's because the "brighter" nature of a light background means my eyes
squint more and focus better on the words? At least with a dark background, my
eyes feel more relaxed but they kind of just wander around and I can't focus
on the text as naturally.

Then again, I've found dark backgrounds to work really well when there's a lot
of visual elements in the design of the page (i.e. not words to read but
graphics to look at).

(Not a professional designer, I just occasionally design things for people and
wonder these things -- would love input from someone more knowledgeable).

------
miguelrochefort
I don't know if it's bad for the eyes, but as someone with astigmatism I've
never been able to use dark themes, and always revert back to light theme if
necessary (i.e., VS Code).

------
gabrielblack
Bah, simply give to the user the freedom to switch from light to dark themes
to be comfortable in every situation. Have you ever tried light themes on the
bridge of a ship at night?

------
gubbrora
I find dark mode comfortable. I find light mode comfortable.

Using both in different programs is very uncomfortable.

------
arleny
_| but this would imply a kind of troglodytish existence that is likely not
healthy for human beings_

:(

