do display screens give out harmful radiation pricelist

In this post, I’m going to tell you how computer monitors emit EMF radiation, how much they emit, how you can test this, and what you can do about it.

(Just a quick note before we move on. I would love for you to take just a minute and check out Nicolas Pineault’s groundbreaking E-book “A Non-Tinfoil Guide To EMFs.” It is the most entertaining and informative book on EMF radiation you’ll ever read, I promise.)

There are primarily three types of radiation sources that a computer monitor is likely to have, UV light radiation, x-ray radiation, and EMF radiation. Which radiation, and how much they emit, will depend largely on the monitor. Let’s talk a little bit about each kind.

There are basically two categories of monitors: cathode-ray tubes, and the flat-screen monitors that you see today, which are typically either LED or LCD based screens.

Prior to about 2001, almost all monitors were using cathode-ray tube (CRT) technology to power the screens. However, these types of monitors generate, and leak, small amounts of highly dangerous X-Ray Radiation. Although this had been recognized since the 60’s as being dangerous, it was not until the late 1990’s that manufacturers really fell under scrutiny for continuing to make a knowingly dangerous product.

This led to the manufacturing of Light Emitting Diode (LED) and liquid crystal display (LCD), which is what I used for nearly all modern monitors (and televisions)

Exposure to x-radiation is obviously extremely harmful and is an unfortunate bi-product of older style cathode ray tube (CRT) type monitors. The electronics in these old monitors generated extremely high voltages that would often result in x-ray radiation.

Although x-radiation that you could receive from one of these older style CRT monitors is dangerous and harmful, it is much less than you would receive from a medical x-ray machine or the x-ray at the dentist. This is the reason that they have you wear led vests to protect your body from the radiation.

Later versions of CRT monitors were slightly safer, as manufacturers began to take steps to reduce this x-ray radiation by adding lead to the cathode ray tube, which helped to cut down on this issue.

The EMF meter that the gentleman is using in this video is the older version of the Trifield meter, the company now has the new TriField TF2 (read my review), but we’ll talk about that a bit more down below in the section about measuring computer monitor radiation.

Ultraviolet light (UV) is much less harmful than x-ray radiation, but high amounts over a long period of time can still certainly cause harm. Some monitors actually have a fluorescent lamp that is part of the illumination. When the ultraviolet light strikes a white phosphor, the visible light that you see is created, but it has the side effect of sometimes leaking ultraviolet light out.

Luckily they make screen protectors for computer monitors that not only block 100% of the UV light but also help to filter out blue lights that can cause computer vision syndrome (CVS) from longterm exposure to computer monitors.

The EMF Radiation from your computer monitor will be relatively small and come from circuitry in the back of the unit. As you can see from the video above when he is testing an LCD monitor, there is still a noticeable amount of EMF radiation, but you have to be quite close.

This amount of radiation is enough to cause damage over time. In fact, a study showed that the radiation emitted from a monitor was enough to destabilize the oxidant/antioxidant balance in the cornea’s of rats over even a small amount of time.

The Long Island Power Authority did a study where they measured the average EMF radiation from many home appliances. Although they did not specifically test LCD or led computer monitors, they did test led and LCD televisions. Here are the numbers they came up with at the following distances:

As you can see, there is quite a large amount of EMF radiation at VERY close distances, but if you sit at least three feet away from the screen, you will not much need to worry about EMF radiation exposure. Be sure that you don’t sit so far away that you strain your eyes, but do keep at least 3 feet between you and the screen.

This applies to almost anything that you want to test, but you first need to start by getting a high-quality EMF meter. I personally use, and love, the new TriField TF2 (read my review). It is super easy to use, incredibly accurate, and measures every kind of EMF radiation, which you’ll realize is really important. If you need to start with a lower cost version I also like the Meterk (read my review).

Getting a good EMF meter is one of the absolute best things you can do if you care about the dangers of EMF radiation. Whether it’s figuring out how much radiation your Smart Meter is emitting, or testing to see if your microwave is leaking radiation, or comparing cell phone radiation, having a good EMF meter is the first step in knowing what the problem is, and knowing if your solutions are working.

Now, to test the radiation from a computer monitor, start by turning the monitor off, and getting a baseline reading near it. Then, turn the monitor on and give it a few seconds to boot up.

Start from about 5 feet away, and slowly move towards the monitor with your meter. Take notes of the radiation levels at different distances and note how it exponentially increases as you get within a few inches.

First of all, computer monitors do emit a relatively small amount of EMF radiation at reasonable distances. So the absolute best thing you can do is keep at least a reasonable distance (3 feet or more) between you and the monitor whenever possible.

They don’t seem to make a good shield for computer monitors that are actually intended to block EMF radiation, but they do make this window film that you can pick up on Amazon, that you could cut to fit the size of your monitor if you really wanted to reduce the amount of radiation you’re exposing yourself to.

Although it won’t block radiation, if you are staring at a computer or tv quite a bit during your day, you should consider picking up a pair of glasses that block the blue light rays. This will help protect your eyes from long term exposure.

Since the advent of modern flat-panel screens, the vast majority of computer monitors have few, if any, radiation safety issues. The older technology used with vintage monitors, however, does have a potential for emitting certain types of harmful radiation, though manufacturers were aware of the risks and designed them to be safe. Overall, radiation safety issues from monitors are very minor and easily mitigated.

Monitor Types Computer monitors have used two basic types of technology: traditional cathode-ray tubes and more modern flat-screen designs. Before 2000, most computer equipment makers produced CRT-based monitors. These create images by sending a high-voltage beam of electrons in a vacuum tube to a phosphor screen, causing it to glow. The high voltage generates weak forms of radiation, a fact manufacturers have recognized since color TVs became widespread in the 1960s. Flat-screen monitors, by contrast, dispense with the CRT, creating images using a finely detailed grid of liquid crystals. Inside a flat-screen monitor, a bright lamp produces white light, which the liquid crystals filter into a broad range of colors. Although this technology uses low voltages, some of the lamps used produce mild radiation.

Radiation Types The radiation that comes from computer monitors takes the form of X-rays and ultraviolet light. This is not the same radiation normally associated with radioactive materials such as uranium, although it is associated with long-term exposure risks to living things. Of the two radiation types, X-rays are more harmful as they have more energy. Where monitor designs have the potential to produce X-rays or UV, the manufacturer adds materials that block the radiation, greatly reducing the safety issue.

X-Rays Traditional CRT-based monitors use high voltages that generate X-rays. The voltages used in black-and-white monitors is much lower than that found in color models, so X-rays are an issue only for the latter type. X-rays from a computer monitor are much weaker than those produced in a medical X-ray, as the operating voltage is lower and the radiation is a side effect, not the intended purpose of the design. CRT manufacturers solved the X-ray problem by adding lead to the glass picture-tube material.

Ultraviolet Although ultraviolet light is less harmful than X-rays, high levels of UV can burn skin and even cause blindness. Some flat-panel computer displays employ a fluorescent lamp as a bright light source. In the lamp, ultraviolet light strikes a white phosphor, creating visible light, but a small amount of the UV also escapes. In most LCD monitor designs, a layer of plastic absorbs the UV, minimizing the safety risk. Some flat-screen computer monitors use light-emitting diodes in place of fluorescent lighting, eliminating the UV problem completely.

CRT monitors are just as bad for your eyes as most other display technologies on the market. Most other monitors have the same set of characteristics that make them dangerous. Unless you’re planning to stare into the monitor for years on end, you shouldn’t worry about the impact on your eyes.

When answering this question, it’s important to give enough context to avoid confusion. CRT monitors have radiation, but unless you’re buying one from 1950, you won’t have to worry about it. Over the years, manufacturers have succeeded in reducing the emissions of the monitors to an acceptable level.

The FDA has confirmed that most CRT monitors on the market don’t emit any measurable amount of radiation. To sustain any damage from CRT monitors, you’ll have to be constantly staring into the display for hundreds of years. Since you’re not planning to use your monitor in this manner, you shouldn’t worry about the radiation.

If you’re still worried about the radiation from CRT monitors, there are many steps you can take to protect yourself. Again, taking extra steps to protect yourself isn’t necessary unless you have a monitor from decades ago.

Many see-through shields can help reduce the impact of the radiation from a CRT monitor. However, buying and using them is unnecessary and is akin to using a helmet while walking instead of driving. You’re only protecting yourself from something that isn’t even dangerous, to begin with.

Blue light glasses are a necessary accessory if you stare into a computer screen for long hours every day. While they may be incapable of protecting from every kind of radiation, they filter blue light pretty well.

It’s also important to note that blue light glasses aren’t only necessary for CRT monitors. All display technologies with backlighting emit blue light, and blue light glasses protect from all of them.

The closer you get to your monitor, the more radiation you’ll potentially be exposed to. Because of this, keeping a reasonable distance away from your computer monitor will protect you from harmful radiation.

Keeping your distance will be easier if you have considerably larger screens. However, CRT monitors are generally smaller sizes than LCD or LED monitors. Therefore, buying large CRT displays will increase the price monstrously, making it more cost-effective to go with LCD.

While this may not be cost-effective, throwing your CRT monitor out the window is the best solution here. Newer display technologies are cheaper, sharper, better, and more attractive than rusty CRTs.

Firstly, looking into a monitor for an excessively long period can affect your sight. This will remain true regardless of the display technology that the monitor uses. Also, the type of display technology is of a lesser impact than the time you spend before your monitor.

If you’re genuinely worried about the impact of the display technology on your eyes, you can follow specific protective measures. Measures like using blue light glasses and emissions filters will help protect your eyes when using CRT monitors.

However, you should worry if you unluckily picked up one of the monitors that were pulled from the market decades ago. These CRT monitors had a manufacturing defect that made them emit excessive amounts of harmful radiation. So if you have one of these monitors, you should consider discarding it.

Every display technology that uses any backlighting will inevitably emit blue light. Since CRT monitors fall under this category, you should expect them also to emit blue light. So the appropriate question in this context becomes: how much blue light do CRT monitors emit?

Compared to LCD and LED displays, CRT monitors don’t emit plenty of blue light. So if you’re using the newer display technologies, you’ll have to worry more about blue light than someone using CRTs. However, blue light emissions shouldn’t be the only factor that decides what kind of monitor you’ll choose.

The FDA sets standards for consumer electronics, including how much blue blight is acceptable. If a monitor exceeds these specifications, you won’t even see it on the market to begin with. So as long as your monitor is still available for sale, you can safely use it without worrying about blue light.

CRT monitors are just as harmful as any other monitor with a backlight. Almost all monitor technologies have radiation and emit blue light that may damage your eyes.

While CRT monitors may be bad for your eyes, there’s no doubt that other display technologies are almost as bad. If you’re looking for a reason to ditch your last CRT, you should look for a more compelling one.

You don’t have to search the internet to find better reasons to abandon your CRT monitor. There are many reasons for the massive switch from CRTs to LCDs over the past two decades.

Frankly, no one wants a monitor that takes up almost all the space on their table. Unfortunately, CRT monitors are the perfect definition of such displays, making them a huge disadvantage. Also, the screen size of the average CRT display will directly affect the size.

You should always go for a flat panel display over old-school CRTs if you care about power usage. One of the main reasons nobody uses CRT monitors anymore is that they’re relatively inefficient. A CRT monitor will use significantly more power than an equivalent OLED or LCD panel if there is an equivalent.

To put these into figures, a 32-inch CRT TV consumes 125 watts of energy, which doesn’t look massive per se. Nonetheless, when you compare it to the 18 watts that a similarly-sized LED TV consumes, you’ll understand why people ditch CRTs.

The most biggest disadvantage of CRT monitors is the quality of image they output, compared to alternatives. Frankly, most people don’t care about the few bucks that differentiate the prices of CRT and LCD monitors. However, if the image qualities aren’t comparable at best, it’s usually a no-no.

When comparing the images from a CRT monitor to those from competing monitors, there are obvious differences. CRT fails miserably, as you can’t watch high-definition videos using this display technology. Also, they’re incapable of outputting true blacks, and your viewing angles are pretty limited.

A simple flat screen emits very low levels of EMF radiation. But the new generations of smart TVs emit stronger EMF signals. They will often emit both radio frequencies (RF) and Bluetooth radiation.

Before we can answer this question in more dept we need to know exactly what we are talking about. We have several different types of TVs and there are older and newer generations.

These old TVs actually emit low levels of X-ray radiation, which is much more dangerous than the other types of your EMFs we are concerned with from newer screens.

LCD TVs were the first types of flat screens to enter the market after we went away from the old bulky TVs we mentioned above. They are still found in many homes and they are filled around the fluorescent technology.

It’s simply not possible to switch off the Bluetooth and the RF signal to a smart TV. It will always be emitting RF radiation because it will constantly search for or communicate with Wi-Fi routers in your room.

This is also why it is constantly listening to the conversations in your room. Much like the digital assistance from Amazon (Alexa) and Google (Home) and Apple (Siri), a smart TV will be listening to all your conversations. If you don’t believe this you can check the manual that came with your TV.

This is always the option we recommend. The computer monitor is the best choice when you want a radiation-free TV in your living room or your bedroom.

We need to talk about ELF radiation and RF radiation separately. If you don’t know the difference you can start by reading the article we have written here about ELF and RF radiation.

Basically, ELF radiation is coming from the electronics inside the TV such as the transformer that generates power for the TV. The RF radiation, on the other hand, is coming from the countless wireless signals we have around modern smart TVs.

Plasma TVs do use much more energy than the two previous TV-technologies: CRT and LCD screens. So you need to pay attention to the electromagnetic fields close to the screen.

But as with all electronics, as soon as you add a few feet of distance to the screen you will quickly minimize the level of ELF radiation (we have an article here with more info about what ELF radiation is).

This is because the radiation levels are following what we call the inverse-square law. It states, that every time you double your distance to the source of the radiation (the TV in this case) you will lower the amount of radiation four times.

So we don’t have to be too concerned about the EMF levels coming from the electronics inside the TV and the screen itself. As long as we remember to not sit directly in front of the screen. We always need to add at least 4-5 feet distance to the screen (which shouldn’t be a problem as we have giant screens today).

RF radiation is radio frequency radiation which we typically find around routers, cellular signals, and Bluetooth technologies. If you want to know all the basics about this type of radiation we have written a good solid article here about RF radiation.

All smart TVs will constantly send out a signal in order to connect to a Wi-Fi router. It doesn’t matter whether it actually connects to the router or it is just looking for it. The radiation will be constant and you cannot turn this off (on any smart TVs we have seen, at least).

It would also send out a Bluetooth signal in order to connect to other wireless devices. This signal is also RF radiation even though it is typically a weaker signal than The Wi-Fi signal.

It’s important to keep your distance to smart TVs for this reason because it will emit radiation close to the same levels as a small router. That’s why we strongly advise you to get rid of the smart TV and use a dumb computer monitor instead.

It’s always better to get rid of any electronic device inside our homes that constantly emit RF radiation. The smart TV is definitely high up on this list.

Even though you keep your distance to the TV, you might still be exposed to the RF and Bluetooth radiation. If you have a device close to you which is connecting with the TV it will create a two-way communication line with the TV (and probably your router as well).

This is the case when you are using your phone as a remote control for the TV. This can be done in several ways like with the chrome cast technology or similar wireless solutions.

Some smart TVs have the option of inserting an ethernet cable directly into the TV. But more often than not, this won’t disable or turn off the Wi-Fi signal. So all you get this set bit more speed on the connection to the router. The EMF levels will typically stay the same because you cannot switch off the wireless signal from the TV.

Plasma TVs are quickly being phased out of the market. All the biggest manufacturers have moved on from this technology several years ago. When you buy a flat screen today it’s most likely LED or OLED.

More often than not, there’s no easy way to get rid of the dirty electricity around the plasma TV. You will simply have to throw it out and get a new one if you are affected by this.

That doesn’t mean that you cannot open the thing yourself and cut off the wire that goes to the Wi-Fi transmitter. That’s what I would do (but I don’t have a TV at all I use my computer for Netflix).

You should only do this if you know what you’re doing and you should know that this is not something we advise you to do. Everything you can see in the video below should be done at your own risk. We cannot guarantee that it will work unless you find the right cord.

It’s a pretty drastic step to open the TV and cut the wires yourself but sometimes that the only way to turn off the Wi-Fi signal. It’s a really stupid design and what are we left to do if we want to get rid of these signals?

Personally, I’m a big fan of taking the matter into my own hands. I want the newest tech but I also want to keep myself and my family safe from EF and other types of radiation in my home. It’s simply stupid that you cannot turn off the Wi-Fi signal even when you’re inserting an ethernet cable.

The only other option you are left with is to get an EMF meter and make sure you do some readings on the TV before you buy it. You might be able to find a TV where you can switch off the RF radiation. But you shouldn’t take anybody’s word for it. Even though it says on the screen that you are switching off the wireless signal you might still find that it emits full speed.

The sales person at your local Best Buy store might not know anything about RF and Bluetooth radiation either. So don’t even bother asking. They will just give you a long speech on how this is not dangerous because they read an article over at Bloomberg or NYtimes.

The problems arise when we are dealing with smart TVs and other types of computer screens that connect wirelessly to other devices such as our router.

This is definitely the easiest solution for you if you don’t want to open the TV and dismantle the Wi-Fi device as we showed in the video above. It can be dangerous to open TV screens and computer monitors and it’s definitely not something we advise you do unless you know what you do or can get help from an electrical engineer.

Be aware that the resolution on computer screens are often much higher than on TV screens. They were also many times be cheaper because people are willing to pay more for TVs than they will for computer monitors.

It’s impossible for us to list all the different types of TVs and how much EMF radiation they emit. There’s simply too many brands and models for us to cover them all.

So your best option here is to do your own readings. Luckily, the EMF meters we need to do this have become pretty popular and therefore more affordable. For around $200 you will get a very good EMF meter that is also being used by experts, scientists, and building biologist.

I really like this EMF meter because it has a very user-friendly interface and is easy to use. On top of that, it’s pretty accurate and you can measure RF radiation (wifi, smartphones, laptops, Bluetooth, etc.) as well as magnetic and electric fields.

The Cornet ED88T Plus is the newest EMF meter from Cornet and it’s just great. You can read more about it here in our short review. Here’s a link to see the prices on Amazon.

Some new generations of smart TVs will still emit RF radiation from the wifi and Bluetooth signals on standby mode. We also have electric fields as soon as the power cord is attached to the socket. When we disconnect the power cord we eliminate all radiation.

When the TV is turned off you will often have the wifi signal and the Bluetooth signal turned on as well. As long as the TV is set to standby mode. The only way to stop these signals is typically to pull out the power cord. As soon as you do that you won’t have any radiation from the Wi-Fi and the Bluetooth signals.

So, in order to eliminate the radiation altogether, you typically need to remove the power cord to the TV. As soon as you do that you will have removed all radiation.

The radiation from an infrared remote control is much less than the radiation from a remote control using radio frequencies. So you should always go for an infrared remote control whenever you have the option.

If you try to do the same thing with remote controls using radio frequencies you will be able to point it anywhere you want to.  The TV will pick up the signal anyway. This is because radio frequencies (RF) are being emitted in all directions from the source and therefore the receiver will be able to pick it up.

You might be able to choose which technology you want to use with the remote control. When you go into the settings on your smart TV (or your dumb TV) you might be able to switch between infrared and radiofrequency technology. This is also something you can find out before you bring the TV home from the store.

The same goes for the latest versions of Samsung’s TV sets. You cannot turn off the signal which is the big problem if you want to get rid of EMF radiation in your home. You might still be able to find earlier versions of Samsung TVs (used) where you can actually turn off the Wi-Fi signal as you plug in the ethernet cable instead.

When we are talking about gaming consoles, it’s important to always get them with a wired hand controller. You will often be able to choose between our wireless and a wired controller.

We want to get rid of as many wireless devices as we can because they always rely on either Wi-Fi signals or Bluetooth signals. Unless we are talking about infra-red remote controllers (see above).

You should also be aware that the gaming console itself (the main box) typically emit very strong RF radiation in all directions. The worst among the gaming consoles when it comes to EMF radiation is the Xbox. It sends out loads of EMFs even though it’s turned to sleep mode or standby. If you like your gaming consoles you should read our article here on EMF around the Xbox.

You can do this from the menu inside a web browser but you will no longer have support from the Sonos company and you won’t be able to control the whole thing from your smartphone.

The last thing we have to look at and this article is in relation to the blue light from the screen. We get blue light from computer screens as well as TV screens, smartphones, tablets, and other devices with screens.

Several TV screens will give you the option to change the lighting on the screen. You will probably find a setting where you can tone down the blue light in order to create a better viewing experience before bedtime.

They are developed by Daniel Debaun who also wrote the excellent book “Radiation Nation”. It’s a great book for anyone wants to get into EMFs and educate themselves a little bit more. You can get the book at Daniels store here.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), "there is no convincing scientific evidence that computer video display terminals (VDTs) are harmful to the eyes."  The common complaints of eye discomfort and fatigue are associated with ergonomic factors such as distance from the person to the monitor, monitor height and brightness, etc.

I have a colleague who is pregnant and who types at a computer. How much radiation does her baby receive at a typical computer? Is there a lead shield that she could wear? Like an apron?

Regulations of the US Department of Health and Human Services require manufacturers to test computer monitor emissions for radiation and to label them attesting to the fact that they have been found to meet the standards of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. You should be able to find this label on the rear of the computer monitor or the computer processor. Health studies of pregnant women who work with VDTs have not found harmful effects on the women or on their children. Heavy lead aprons or other shields are not considered necessary for units that meet the x-ray emission standards of 21 CFR. Such shields may actually be counterproductive from an ergonomic point of view.

Radiation emissions from VDTs (for example, television sets and computer monitors) are regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and manufacturers are required to test and label these products.  Regulations limit radiation emissions from electronic products to levels considered safe.

I have heard a lot of answers about the ill effects of computer radiation but almost all that I have read claim no certainty in their answers. Has there been any valid and indisputable answer to this?

This means that if there are health risks they are too small or of a kind that have not been detected by current methods. Scientists often say that they "cannot disprove a negative," meaning that it is not logically possible to prove that something does not exist. This is because the list of things to be disproved can be endless, and the type and level of sensitivity of the tests that are used can always be improved upon.

I"m getting a computer for my child and would like to know which type of monitor/computer is safest in terms of the different types of radiation that exist. I was told years ago that the flat screens had a different, yet worse, type of radiation. Are there two types of radiation, and is this type worse?

All television receivers (including computer monitors), regardless of type, must meet a mandatory federal performance standard so any x-ray emissions, if they exist at all, must be at very low levels.  I am unaware of two types of radiation, unless you categorize the visible light which you see on the television screen as one type, which is, in fact an electromagnetic radiation; You can also consider radiowaves, which are also electromagnetic radiation. Both of these types of radiation are nonionizing and generally considered safe unless one is exposed to very intense levels.

All television receivers (including computer monitors), regardless of type, must meet a mandatory federal performance standard so any x-ray emissions, if they exist at all, must be at very low levels. The key point is that the emission standard is for "any point on the external surface" which means whether someone is in front of, to the side of, or behind the display or receiver, he/she is protected against any potential emissions of the display to the same degree.

My mom worries about the effects of computer radiation. She says that I am putting my health at risk by being on my PC more than four hours a day. Is this true?

The radiation emission from any computer is RF (radiofrequency) waves. There is no proof that these are harmful unless the intensity is high enough to warm tissue (like a microwave oven). You are not putting yourself at risk (from radiation) by being on your computer more than four hours a day.

My grandchildren often sit with their laptop computers in their laps. Is there any danger to their health and reproductive organs from low-level radiation that may be reaching them?

The only measurable radiation emission from a laptop computer is radio waves. We are constantly exposed to such radiation from all directions and multiple sources, including radio and TV signals, electronic appliances, etc. Current data indicate that these are not harmful to our health. There is, however, quite a bit of heat generated within the laptop while it is on. It is for this reason manufacturers recommend against extended periods of use with the computer on your lap.

The information posted on this web page is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may affect the applicability of concepts, materials, and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice. To the best of our knowledge, answers are correct at the time they are posted. Be advised that over time, requirements could change, new data could be made available, and Internet links could change, affecting the correctness of the answers. Answers are the professional opinions of the expert responding to each question; they do not necessarily represent the position of the Health Physics Society.

One is dry eyes, caused by a lack of blinking. "When you look at a screen, you"re so involved that you forget to blink. The blink rate goes from 15 times a minute to five or seven times per minute," explains Dr. Gardiner. But you need to blink to re-establish the tear film on the eyes — a thin layer of liquid that protects the surface of the eye. If you don"t blink enough, your eyes dry out, causing blurry vision and discomfort.

The other main problem from staring at a screen too long is eyestrain. Dr. Gardiner says one possible cause of this is the brightness or glare that comes from the electronic screen. "Bright light sources can feel uncomfortable, especially if you have cataracts," Dr. Gardiner says. Eyestrain can also result from focusing up close on a screen without the proper eyeglass prescription. "Any time you strain to see something, maybe because you need reading glasses and have resisted getting them, you can get a headache. You can exhaust your eyes" ability to focus," says Dr. Gardiner.

Some research has even suggested that eyestrain may result from difficulty focusing on the text and images on computer screens in particular, since they"re made of pixels that create blurry edges.

Fortunately, eyestrain and dry eyes are easily treated. Dr. Gardiner recommends using artificial tears several times throughout the day. The artificial tears don"t have to be preservative-free. Another tip: remind yourself to blink from time to time.

Dr. Gardiner"s best advice: take a break from electronic screens every 15 to 30 minutes, just for a minute. "Look away from the screen. Do something else, and refocus on a distant target."

Mom warned you not to sit too close to the TV when you were a kid. "In the past, screens were bombarded with energy. That emission back in the 1950s was too strong. In the "60s and "70s, they made safer TVs. Now with LCD or LED TVs, there"s nothing coming out of the screen to hurt you," says Dr. Matthew Gardiner, an ophthalmologist with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

Even the World Health Organization admits that EMF radiation at certain levels can trigger symptoms like headaches, stress, suicide by depression, vomiting, fatigue, and loss of libido.

Unlike the two products mentioned so far, this Screen Protector exclusively obstructs blue light. It’s not mean to attenuate radiation but to shield your eyes from the harmful effects of blue light.

Yes, but it’s mostly the old CRT monitors that are concerning. Newer LCD screens don’t emit as much. The more immediate threat stems from the blue light they emit.

It depends on your distance from the monitor. Inches away would give you 25-500 mG of EMF radiation, 1 foot emits 0.4-20 mG, while 3 feet emits just 0.1-1.5 mG of radiation.

Monitors emit such a low level of radiation that most agree it’s not a concern. However, even low levels over long periods of time have induced side effects like headaches and depression.

Certified EMF Expert, Chief Editor & Researcher at Beat EMF. I’m in charge of testing all the products and sorting through the duds to deliver effective EMF solutions for your family. Learn more about me here.

Louis Slesin, editor of VDT News, a newsletter published in New York that reports on computer-related health and safety issues, observed, ""Obviously, I.B.M. and other companies could not trumpet the health aspects of the new low-radiation monitors without raising questions about the millions of sets already out there."" Indeed, the company has repeatedly stressed that there is no evidence that low-level radiation from computer monitors is harmful. I.B.M. cited the results of a yearlong study by researchers at the University of Toronto, who reported last month that they had found ""no significant adverse effects"" among pregnant mice exposed to levels of radiation equal to or greatly higher than those to which office computer users would be exposed. The study, which contradicts earlier findings by Swedish researchers, was financed by I.B.M. and Ontario Hydro, which has a large number of employees who use computers and has long been a supporter of ergonomic research.

Although it views the technology as superfluous - publicly, at least - I.B.M. has sought patent protection for the technology, which involves a combination of engineering changes and radiation-canceling devices. According to VDT News, I.B.M. applied for a United States patent in August 1987. The application claimed that tests ""demonstrated dramatic reductions in the unwanted radiation in front of C.R.T."s,"" or cathode ray tubes, the part of the monitor on which data are displayed. Monitors are also commonly called V.D.T."s, or video display terminals, and the magnetic field around them is often called V.D.T. radiation.

""At a distance of 55 centimeters from the neck of an unshielded C.R.T., the magnetic field is in the range of 1 to 2 microtesla,"" VDT News reported, referring to a unit of measurement of radiation. ""In the patent claim, I.B.M. stated that its shielding system reduces that field to less than two-tenths of 1 microtesla."" Mr. Slesin of VDT News said that while details of the technology are unclear, it appears to be an inexpensive process that does not degrade the performance. In fact, I.B.M. says the resolution of the new monitors is 75 percent better than existing monitors, with reduced glare and distortion. The monitors have a list price of $995 for monochrome and $1,620 for color, which makes them slightly less expensive than the monitors they replace.

Other computer makers also say they do not believe that health concerns justify a low-radiation monitor, although the Digital Equipment Corporation and the Data General Corporation, like I.B.M., offer one in Europe.

The radiation that is moderated by the I.B.M. technology is referred to as VLF, for very low frequency. However, monitors also produce a different kind of radiation at extremely low frequency, or ELF, which is commonly associated with power lines.

Whether you’re finally modernizing or just have a few clunky Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors and televisions taking up room and gathering dust, it’s important to understand the hazards they pose, especially if damaged. So, before you decide to move one around – and if you’re thinking about disposing of it yourself – it’s important to understand the hazards, proper disposal, and things to watch out for.

While CRT monitors are fine when properly packed in storage, special care should be taken when moving them. CRT monitors are one of the most dangerous pieces of household electronics to disassemble. Know the risks before doing either:

Heavy Metals: CRT monitors and TVs can contain anywhere from 2 to 5 pounds of lead per unit! Color CRT may contain mercury – commonly found in many electronics – hazardous if the screen cracks.

When storing Cathode Ray Tube monitors, never rest the monitor down or have the monitor pressing against hard or sharp objects. Always get a hand moving larger units – their weight and size make them dangerous to handle alone. CRTs were banned from Massachusetts disposal facilities starting in 2000, so they need to be taken to municipal recycling collection programs, donated, or taken to a collection center like NEDT.

You can learn more about these options in our post, What Are My Options for Disposing of Household Products?, as well as our Fact Sheets and Links page with information on common household hazardous products

If you’re dealing with electronics disposal or hazardous household waste, we can help. NEDT’s Household Hazardous Products Collection Centers can help by providing quick and safe service for all your needs, including a pickup service! Contact us today to learn more, including everything we accept. You can also call us at 866-769-1621.

You probably know that UV rays emitted by the sun can be damaging to your skin. But what about other types of light, like the warm glow of a computer monitor or smartphone?

Generally, newer model computers feature LCD or LED screens and do not emit harmful UV radiation. But most televisions, computers, smartphones and tablets emit other types of light that some studies show can be harmful to your skin with prolonged exposure.

While it’s doubtful that you’ll be giving up your devices any time soon, there are some things you can do to prevent and repair the signs of potential aging caused by computer and smartphone screens. Here’s what we suggest:

Of course, the best way to minimize the harmful effects of any type of light radiation is to limit your exposure to it, whether that is staying out of the sun or limiting your screen time.

Studies have found that using your electronic devices outdoors can be even more harmful, because the UV radiation from the sun reflects from your smartphone or tablet screen directly onto your face, doubling the impact of dangerous light radiation.

Antioxidants occur naturally in many of the fresh fruits and vegetables we eat. They offer your body many health benefits, including protecting your skin from harmful UV and HEV rays.

Strawberries, blueberries, and kiwis are just a few of the delicious fruits that are packed full of antioxidants. While having an antioxidant-rich diet is crucial to fighting off signs of aging, so is incorporating antioxidants into your daily skin care routine. The Baobab tree, native to the African savannah, has long been known as the “Tree of Life” for its nutrient-rich properties. Our Baobab Skin Correction Facial Cream is made with Baobab seed oil, which is packed full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that can reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles, making skin appear younger.

It is critical that you make sunscreen part of your daily skin care regimen. Even if you work in an office all day and spend little time outdoors, your skin will still be exposed to UV radiation as well as other types of light rays.

Premature skin aging caused by computer screens has been dubbed “computer face,” as older desktop computers have been shown to emit UV light, which can lead to lines, wrinkles and skin damage.

Newer computers and laptops, however, don’t emit UV light at all. Instead, they’re typically equipped with LCD or LED screens, which aren’t harmful to your skin.

While your laptop, tablet and cell phone screens don’t emit harmful UV radiation themselves, use of these devices outdoorsin the sun could put your skin at a greater risk ofskin cancerand other skin damage. This is because your screens can act like a mirror and reflect UV light from the sun onto your skin.

To avoid unnecessary UV exposure when using your laptop or other devices, try to limit using them outdoors in direct sunlight and always wear sunscreen.

You use it for work. You use it for gaming. You use it to access Netflix, YouTube, and your ex’s HBO account. It’s your computer monitor, and opting for a model that fits you and your needs is crucial. Whether your old display has died or you’ve decided that you need to upgrade to take advantage of the latest software, buying a new monitor is a big decision.

Not everyone is looking for the same thing, however. Some buyers are looking for a great display, while others put features and connectivity at the forefront. With so many great options out there, it’s easy to get confused, which is why we’ve put together the convenient buying guide below.

How big is big enough? When it comes to computer monitors, you want something that can fit comfortably on your desk while giving you plenty of screen real estate. While in the past sub-20-inch monitors were commonplace, today, unless you’re really constrained for space, there’s no real need to buy anything under 22 inches. For most, 24 inches is going to be a baseline, as you can pick up a number of screens at that size for around $100, and they look fantastic at 1080p.

While you’ll need to sit well back from those, there’s no denying that they look amazing. They give you the same screen as multiple smaller monitors without a bezel dividing them down the middle. They tend to be rather expensive, though, and if you go really wide, you’ll struggle to find media that can display at close to its native resolution, leaving the picture to either look stretched or surrounded by black.

Anywhere between 24 and 30 inches is going to be perfectly fine for most users. They let you make the most of modern resolutions and color clarity, and they also fit a couple of different web pages open at the same time without needing to use two monitors, which is handy for many professionals. They don’t tend to be too expensive at that size, either, unless you opt for the top-end models.

Today, all the best screens are still LCD monitors that use LED technology for a slim product that saves energy while providing ideal backlighting. We’ve been waiting years for OLED technology to make the transition to PC monitors, it isfinally beginning thanks to brands like LG, but the technology is still relatively rare.

One aspect of PC monitors that you do need to consider, though, is resolution. While 1080p was once the gold standard, today, it’s just the baseline. If you’re happy to spend a little more, there are a few other options worth considering, especially if you want to improve screen space or gaming visuals. Resolution isn’t the be-all and end-all of monitor features, though. In fact, too much resolution on too small of a screen can often be annoying because it shrinks all images down and forces you to enlarge everything to easily read it.

1080p: If you want reasonable clarity, but want to save on cost or focus on other, more important features, 1080p is where it’s at — as long as the monitor you’re buying isn’t extremely large. 1080p is ideal for 21-inch to 24-inch displays. These monitors offer great picture quality, and now that they are competing with 4K, the prices are rock-bottom. If you want to go larger than 24 inches, though, you should consider 2,560 x 1,440 resolution at the least and perhaps 4K.

1440p: The oft-forgotten stepchild in the gradual marriage of consumers and 4K, 1440p is still the suggested resolution for gamers, as it offers a noticeable improvement in visuals over 1080p but doesn’t overly tax your graphics card. It’s also far more affordable if you’re interested in extra features like high refresh rates. It is also commonly referred to as Quad HD/QHD.

4K/Ultra HD (UHD): 4K is the resolution that the industry is most keen to drive consumers towards. It looks much more detailed than 1080p with 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, and prices have come down substantially in the past few years. That said, gamers will need a powerful graphics card to run a system at this resolution, and finding affordable monitors with full suites of frame synching support or high-refresh rates is still difficult. There is plenty of 4K media out there to enjoy, though, whether you’re streaming or using UHD Blu-rays.

5K:This resolution made headlines when Apple debuted it on its iMac, but it’s far from a common resolution even years later. Dell’s UP2715K is a great-looking display, but we would recommend many high-end 4K monitors before it, as you won’t be able to see too much difference between them.

Several other aspects of a monitor’s display contribute to just how awesome of an image it can produce. Here are other factors to consider for your next monitor purchase:

Aspect ratio: The aspect the screen shows images in (length compared to height). A common standard, and your best bet, is 16:9. It works with plenty of content, and it’s great for movies or games. Some fancy monitors like to stretch things out with ratios like 21:9, but that is more suitable for unusual work situations or hardcore gaming. Another common format, 16:10, provides slightly more vertical space for viewing multiple open documents or images. 3:2 is becoming more commonplace in laptops for better web viewing, but that’s rare on stand-alone displays.

Brightness: High-end monitors these days have brightness around 300 to 350 cd/m2. Extra brightness may be handy if you work in a well-lit room or next to large windows. However, too much brightness is a recipe for eye strain. As long as brightness options reach 250 cd/m2, your monitor is good to go. That said, if you want one with HDR support, the more peak brightness, the better to best take advantage of that technology.

HDR: High dynamic range, or HDR, is a recent addition to the PC monitor space and can have a dramatic impact on visuals. However, most PC monitors lack the brightness needed to take full advantage of it, and even the best ones don’t look as good as they should. Keep in mind there are a variety of HDR versions to consider, like HDR10+, for more advanced content.

Refresh rate: Rated in hertz (Hz), a monitor’s refresh rate is how often it updates the image on your screen. While most support up to 60Hz, some displays now offer much higher refresh rates. That can result in smoother movements on your desktop and support for higher frame rates in games, which can make a big difference in high-paced titles by reducing your input lag. 120Hz to 144Hz is a great range to target, but you could opt for the fastest screens out there with up to 240Hz support. Just make sure you have a high-powered graphics card to back it up.

Response time: Response time indicates how quickly the monitor shows image transitions. A low response time is good for fast-paced action video, twitchy gameplay, and similar activities. Response times are measured in milliseconds, with the best screens able to switch pixels at only a couple of milliseconds, but not everyone needs such fast reactions.

The type of panel used to make your new display can have a major impact on what it looks like and how it performs. They all have their strengths and their weaknesses, making them better suited to different sorts of PC users. While manufacturers have made valiant attempts to bridge the gaps between the types, each tends to still have its evangelists, and depending on what you spend most of your time doing while on your PC, you’ll likely want to opt for one over the other. There can be a cost to pay for certain features, though.

TN: The most common panel type, Twisted Nematic (TN) displays offer good visuals and some of the fastest response times, making them great for gamers. But colors can look a little washed out, and viewing angles aren’t great. Displays with TN panels tend to be the most affordable.

VA:VA panels, sometimes referred to as MVA or PVA, have slightly better colors and good viewing angles, but can suffer from ghosting. While their response times can be good on paper, they don’t always translate well into real-world usage.

IPS: Displays with IPS panels tend to be the most expensive of the bunch, but what you get for your money is much richer colors and clear viewing angles that are near horizontal. The downside of IPS panels is that they don’t tend to have as fast response times as TN displays, so some consider them inferior for gaming. There are, however, gaming IPS displays, like the fantastic Asus PG279Q, which make good ground on their TN counterparts. Some IPS monitors suffer from quality control issues, though, and most IPS displays have a telltale glow when displaying dark images due to backlight bleeding.

There are also curved monitors to consider. They don’t have different resolutions than their flat counterparts, but present a concave curved screen, which can make a difference to the experience and tasks they’re best suited for.

There are a few different ports you should look for on your monitor. Where VGA and DVI were standards of yesteryear, today, new displays ship with HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C connections most commonly. To make things more confusing, each of those has its own multitude of generations, which you need to be aware of if you’re planning on running a high-resolution or high refresh rate display.

To run a display at 4K resolution, you’ll need to use HDMI 1.4 at the very least, though HDMI 2.0 would be required if you want to support a refresh rate of 60Hz, which should be a bare minimum unless all you do is watch movies on it (with HDMI 2.1 being the newest version of the standard). If you want to do high refresh rate gaming, especially at higher resolutions, DisplayPort 1.4 monitors can handle up to 8K at 60Hz and 4K at up to 200Hz, so they’re better suited than HDMI in that regard. DisplayPort 2.0 is also on the way.

The slightly older, DisplayPort 1.2 connector can handle 1440p and 1080p at high refresh rates, too, so if you’re not opting for 4K, that port option should suffice for lower-resolution monitors. USB-C is an option, as it can support up to 4K resolution, but it’s not as capable as DisplayPort connections.

We recommend picking a monitor that is easy to use, especially if you’re building a complex setup with more than one monitor. Think about adding a stand that you can tilt or rotate to achieve the perfect monitor angle. Some monitors even let you adjust tilt and rotation with one hand.

You’ll find a built-in webcam especially useful not just for quick communication, but also for extra protection when logging in, with features like facial recognition. However, if a monitor lacks a built-in webcam, that shouldn’t be a deal-breaker. In fact, we suggest buying a monitor and then picking out a separate webcam, which is easier to mount and adjust and can be taken offline for privacy whenever you want. Plus, upgrading or replacing a standalone webcam is a lot easier than changing a built-in camera feature.