Eye Health and Updating Computer Monitors...

You may be like me, put off updating equipment until you absolutely need to, but then you get to the stage where it has to be done. Well that was me a couple of weeks ago.

When we got our first computer at home, back in the early 2000's, monitor screens were a bit boxier and generally smaller than those you can get today. Ours was only 15 inches and included speakers- which is great if space is limited.

(Plus it had a much lower screen resolution that would mean display issues on some newer computer programmes.)

Moving on to the next decade when technology was improving and web pages could now fill a wider screen, I was having to use the bottom scroll to see what was on the right hand side of the page.

After my eye test last year revealed vision issues I made adjustments: increased font size on my screen and had the lighting in my office area customised to my needs. My glasses now tint to protect me from bright lights indoors or sunlight outside.

I finally admitted I needed a bigger screen to make everything easier and for display requirements.

Blue light...
 

Wow, the monitor sizes and options, as well as the cost of some of them! You can get a good monitor without paying huge prices.

I did some online comparisons; measured the space available for the monitor sizes and pinned down a few of my must haves: speakers integrated; plus a non-reflective screen- when you turn it off you can't see your face in it.

I was impressed with how many manufacturers are producing screens with eye-health in mind.

(I had tried the Windows 10 option to set the night light display so the blue brightness was lowered, but on the smaller screen it was problematic.)

Although I've only had my new monitor (just under 22 inch size) a few weeks I can feel the difference at the end of the day with the low blue light effect; my eyes are not as tired and I can read a paperback book before bed without difficulty.

Whether the blue light on my old monitor contributed to the start of my macular degeneration, I can't say as age does play a part.

If you're not sure about the pros and cons of blue light there's some interesting information from Zeiss about it and eye care.

When I had my Optician's appointment last week I was relieved that the macular degeneration was stable and all the changes I've made over the year, including vegetable choices, have been helping.

Eye health is very important whether you're a writer and/or a reader.

Are you still working with an old monitor or have you updated?

The 2018 Diagram Prize for the Oddest Book Title of the Year...

This prize has been running 40 years with a number of extremely odd titles winning...

As I blog about this every year and choose the title/s that I feel are strong contenders for the win, I usually have a favourite and another possible.

This year I'm not impressed with the six titles. But I may just be getting tired!

• Are Gay Men More Accurate in Detecting Deceits? Hoe-Chi Angel Au (Open Dissertation Press)

• Why Sell Tacos in Africa? By Paul Oberschneider (Blue Ocean Marketing)

• Call of Nature: The Secret Life of Dung by Richard Jones (Pelagic Publishing)

• Joy of Water Boiling based on the idea of ​​the Berlin writer Thomas Götz von Aust (Achse Verlag)

• Equine Dry Needling by Cornelia Klarholz, Andrea Schachinger (tredition)

• Jesus on Gardening by David Muskett (Onwards and Upwards)

A contender...

I ended up voting for Equine Dry Needling...

If you want to find out more then pop over to the Bookseller website where you can read more, including discovering which of the six nearly didn't make it.

The link to vote is at the bottom of the Bookseller article.

Voting closes on the 16th November and the winner announced on the 23rd November.

Suspect Water Boiling might do well...