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Reviewed by Benjamin Barr
We all spend a lot of time behind computer screens these days, from our work monitor to our gaming display. For this reason, monitor-related eye strain is a problem for many. To present the 5 best monitors to reduce eye strain, High Ground Gaming combined its own research with input from ophthalmologist Saya Nagori, CEO of EyeFacts.com, a leading web resource for eye health information.
‘Working professionals spend hours and hours in front of screens, leading to eye fatigue, dry eyes, and eye strain,’ Nagori told High Ground Gaming in an email. “Add to that, hours behind a screen playing your favorite game, and productivity and overall health and wellbeing can be affected,” she said.
Eye Care Monitors Ranked Best to Great
In this ranking we review five of the best monitors to reduce eye strain. If your eyes can’t take those long gaming sessions like they used to, you’ve come to the right place. The best eye care monitors are coming up next.
By the way, we’ve start out with our #1 pick for the best monitor to reduce eye strain overall and then end with our #5 (still relatively strong) pick.
1. ASUS PB278Q Eye Care Monitor
The Best Monitor to Reduce Eye Strain Overall
- 27-inch screen size
- Flicker Free
- QuickFit virtual scale
- Great viewing angles
- Price: 💰💰💰
Up first in our ranking of the five best monitors to reduce eye strain is the ASUS Eye Care Monitor. Flicker-free, this ASUS display features Smart Dynamic Backlight Adjustment, instead — overall easier on the eyes than a typical LED backlight display. It’s also highly adjustable to find the right viewing angle for you, depending on the task at hand. Meanwhile, ASUS Virtual Scale and Splendid Video Intelligence Technology further improves the picture quality.
One consumer who used it for PC gaming commented on the screen real estate, adding the 1440p resolution was a nice compromise between 4K and 1080p. One competitive game player said they barely noticed the somewhat slower response time on the ASUS Eye Care Monitor, as compared to dedicated gaming displays.
Otherwise, the picture is clear and crisp, they said, and the colors pop. Meanwhile, the pixel density also offers vision relief, others added.
- USERS LIKE
- Crisp, detailed, sharp, and vivid picture
- Not a gaming monitor, but great for gaming
- Clean edges and textures
- USERS DISLIKE
- Some ghosting, input lag issues reported
- Don’t buy it for the speakers
- Limited to 60 Hz
2. Apple Studio Display
The Best Monitor to Reduce Eye Strain – Doctor’s Pick
- 5k retina display
- 600 nits of brightness
- P3 wide color
- Crisp text, superb overall image quality
- Price: 💰💰💰💰💰
EyeFacts.com CEO and ophthalmologist Saya Nagori recommended the Apple Studio Display to reduce eye strain. This 5k retina display boasts 600 nits of brightness and billions of colors for “ultra-clear and rich color accuracy,” she tells High Ground Gaming. Meanwhile, the anti-glare screen offers further eye protection, she says. The nano-texture glass option further cuts down on glare, as the auto-correction adjusts brightness to ambient-room levels.
Not technically a gaming monitor, games look astonishing on Apple Studio Display, others who’ve tried it add. It’s a spendy monitor, but if you’re plagued by eye problems, it’s more than worth it, reports tell us. The stand is highly adjustable, helping not just your eyes but your neck, shoulders, and back feel better after hours of gameplay.
At 60 hz, the refresh rate is a bit low for a gaming monitor, nor is there variable refresh rate. That aside, the 5K resolution and eye-care features more than make up for what’s lacking, feedback says.
- USERS LIKE
- Resolution helps with eye strain
- Nice built-in speakers and camera
- Eased astigmatism-related eye fatigue
- USERS DISLIKE
- It’s spendy
- Refresh rate could be higher for gaming
- Not technically gaming monitor
3. Z-Edge UG27 Curved Gaming Monitor
The Best Curved Monitor to Reduce Eye Strain
- Blue light filter
- Flicker free
- 3000:1 contrast ratio
- Curved, helps focus on corners and edges
- Price: 💰💰
In addition to anti-glare screens and blue-light filters, a curved screen is a feature many look for in the best monitor to reduce eye strain. The best curved monitor we reviewed is the Z-Edge UG27. Flicker free, the UG27 offers a blue light filter, and 3000:1 contrast ratio. Feedback says the curved screen helps you focus on the corner and edges, and at 200 hz, the refresh rate can handle whatever your game has in store for it. This is an awesome gaming monitor for the price, according to reports.
Games on the UG27 are smooth and fluid with fast frame rendering and low input lag. Free sync technology virtually eliminates screen tearing and stutter. It’s also a good choice for multitasking, we learned — not just gaming but also watching movies, work, and photo editing. Definitely the best screen quality for the money, with all the eye-care features included. The stand is not height or tilt adjustable, though.
- USERS LIKE
- Impressive refresh rate, picture, and response time
- Great price for the quality
- Good for Xbox series S and Playstation 4, in particular
- USERS DISLIKE
- No remote included
- Stand quality issues reported
- Inconvenient port placement
4. MSI Optix G32CQ4
The Best Large Monitor to Reduce Eye Strain
- 32-inch screen size
- 1-ms response time
- QHD resolution
- Anti-glare coating reduces eye strain
- Price: 💰💰💰
Sometimes extra screen real estate is all that’s required for some sweet eye relief over long gaming sessions. At 32-inches, the MSI Optix G32CQ4 is the best large monitor, based on our research. There’s also QHD resolution and an anti-glare coating, helping things appear more visible during daylight hours, feedback says. Otherwise, images are crisp and clean, with vibrant colors and deep blacks. Bright and clear, this monitor is a blessing for the eyes, reports told us.
Based on the refresh rate, vibrant colors, and graphics led one report called the G32CQ4 an awesome gaming monitor. The viewing angles were better than a TN (twisted nematic) display, we learned. If you find you have screen tearing issues, check your video graphics settings. Some isolated ghosting issues were also reported.
The Optix display is another great pick for curved gaming monitor, it’s important to note. And don’t miss the 1-millisecond response time, a lightning-quick speed for gaming.
- USERS LIKE
- A “blessing” for older eyes
- Vibrant colors, deep blacks
- Easy-to-use UI and joystick controller
- USERS DISLIKE
- Cheap stand, one report said
- Some ghosting reported
- Shadows could have more contrast
5. ASUS VP28UQG
The Best Low Blue Light Monitor to Reduce Eye Strain
- Flicker free
- Adaptive sync
- Flicker free, blue light filter
- Dynamic refresh rate adjustment
- Price: 💰💰💰💰
And finally, we selected the ASUS VP28UQG as our choice for the best low light monitor to reduce eye strain. Prolonged blue light exposure is a common cause of digital eye fatigue and some studies say, more serious vision consequences. With the VP28UQG, blue light levels are easily adjustable, especially later on in the evening, consumers report, with just the flick of a switch.
Those who’ve used the VP28UQG for gaming, especially on a PC, otherwise call it perfectly calibrated, with great screen real estate, and great colors. One report said they played games for hours on the VP28UQG with little eye strain. The stand, however, isn to very adjustable. Overall, the visuals are crisp and clear, according to feedback.
Another comment called it a great monitor with a picture that’s easy on the eyes. It’s also a versatile display for a number of purposes, and it’s priced right for what you get, which we liked to hear.
- USERS LIKE
- Great screen real estate
- Clean edges and textures
- No ghosting
- USERS DISLIKE
- Out-of-box color calibration not great
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