lily_sullivan82•2d ago

My daughter asked me why her reading app's dark mode hurt her eyes after 20 minutes.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_patricia2d ago

Wait, they used pure black and white?

leebrown2d ago

That's a really good point about dark mode not being one-size-fits-all. The problem is often the contrast. If the text is pure white on a pure black background, it creates a harsh flicker for your eyes as they scan lines. A dark gray background with an off-white text is way easier for a lot of people. The app probably just uses a simple inverted color scheme.

tyler_baker2d ago

My old phone had that same problem with its default dark theme. It felt like staring at tiny flashlights on a black wall. I switched to a gray background with a soft cream text color and the eye strain just stopped. The high contrast looks cool but it's terrible for actually reading anything. App developers really need to test these things with real people, not just flip a color switch.