The Eyes Have It
I think my eyesight is giving me issues. It’s been at least five years since I went to the eye doctor and it’s time I went back. My biggest fear is that I’m sure I will need glasses or contacts or something.
It’s getting harder to read things up close. Like text on my phone, I need to take the phone and pull it away so I can read the text without it getting all blurry. It’s called farsightedness or hyperopia.
But it’s not just up close blurry that I experience when I read. I also have issues reading white text on a black background. After just a few seconds of reading, my eyes get all weird, then I have to look away and everything I see it white lines. Now given some years ago, I wouldn’t mind seeing white lines, but these days, I would like to stay focused without having my eyes adjusting like they just got flashbulbed hundreds of times in a row.
There are some blogs that I read and come across that are like this. Some I really like reading, like Sybil Law. Here’s a quick screen shot from her latest blog post:
Even just a few seconds of viewing that, my eyes are going all wonky.
My solution that I use for her blog posts is to either read it in my feed reader or select all of the text and copy it to a Word document, read the post, then click to post a comment, which the comment page is black text on a white background.
It’s no trouble, but the next time Sybil decides to change her blog template, I’m hoping a lighter colored background will be an option. [hint hint, nudge nudge]
And maybe at the same time, she’ll make her URL shorter. *snark* [Love ya, Sybil.]
Or maybe I can make all things easier by simply going to get my eyes checked out. Then I can read small text on my phone and white text/black background blogs without too much effort on anyone’s part.
About The Author
I’ve started getting small headaches right behind my eyes and think it might be time to go get an eye test. Might just be too much time in front of a computer screen of course.
kevin – Oh, I’m sure computer use over the last 20+ years for me hasn’t helped, that’s for sure. Although the display on the MacBook Pro models we both have is the best I’ve used. So far, no headaches for me, just adjusting distance for reading certain items. I can read small print on a sign when driving without an issue, which is nice for driving.
Does that happen when you read my blog as well? I think the background is too dark but cannot find a new theme that I like!
kilax – As I just commented, it does not. Black text on grey background works quite well on my eyes. In the new theme/template I am working on for this blog, I’m keeping the same background color, maybe darkening it up a shade or two, but that’s about it. Text color and font are staying the same. I prefer a san serif font over a serif. I think it improves readability for the most part.
Thanks for letting me know! I also prefer sans serif. Can’t wait to see your new template!
Gah! I am so sorry! I WANT to change pretty much everything about my blog but the fact is, I have NO idea what I’m doing!! I feel so bad – I’ve heard it before and I know it sucks (my eyes are fine but it bothers them, too!), but who wants to totally redo my blog?! Haha
Seriously.
I even know technically how I’d like ti to look. Just no clue how to get it there.
So sorry about your eyes!!!
White text on black background is also bad for printing. Printers typically default to where they cut out background color to save toner. So that means that the page would print as white text on a white sheet of paper. Even worse for your eyes.
I can’t believe that heinous woman, Sybil, is intentionally hurting Marty! For shame!!!
sybil law – Hey, I had to throw that in there… i couldn’t resist. But seriously, changing the background would be easy. Changing the whole Blogger template is a bit more work. I could offer to help, since I’m the one that complained about it. LOL Let me know via email.
kapgar – Yes, printing is another issue. Well, Sybil knows that if she writes something bad about me, I won’t be able to read it properly. HA!
I can’t read white on black background either. My eyes are perfect though (well, perfect for vision anyway). But a trip to the eye doctor is never a bad thing. My eye doctor told me (I think…don’t hold me to this because it was a long time ago so I may be remembering it wrong) that most kids start out as farsighted and as they grow up they get either normal or nearsighted. Then as people get older they go more and more farsighted, which if you were nearsighted and needed glasses for it, going farsighted as you get older might be a good thing, right? Now that this comment is completely confusing (and probably not correct anyway) I am done.
In all honesty, I can’t stand reading blogs on anything other than neutral backgrounds. Black is the worst. So is bright pink (no really, that’s a WORK website I’m visiting – ahem). And some bloggers who insist on layouts like that have lost me as a reader. I’m deadpan serious when it comes to blog layouts. =)
tori – Even with good eyesight, you can’t read the white text/black background. And I’ve heard that about eye adjustment over the years.
nilsa – A well done blog layout is so important. I mean, sure bright colors attract, but once they are there, they are going to read something and if you can read with all of the distractions, it’s not worth the flashing lights to bring the readers in the door.
I need new glasses. There’s no doubt. I have to tilt my head back so my right bifocal is in focus… this throws the left out of focus just a bit.
I need to make time to go to the eye doctor.
delmer – And it’s time I went to the eye doctor myself before I have to renew my drivers license this year. Don’t want to fail the eye test.