Post Reply

Forums -> Multiple monitors -> Is it medically OK to mix CRT and LCD monitors
Phillip B   2007-10-17 21:41
I've been using a 21" CRT with a 15" LCD alongside for about four months now. Prior to that I just had the 21" CRT for four years. Recently I've experienced occasional difficulty with my eyes in reading from the CRT. I've heard from a colleague that he was advised not to mix CRT and LCD, and he now uses two matched LCDs.

The complication is two fold: I occasionally use Solid Edge (3D CAD), and our IT support suggests that it displays best on CRT. However, I don't really have desk space for a 2nd CRT.

I've got an eye test booked, just in case, but I was fine as of one year ago - I'm 42.

Is it medically OK to use a mix CRT & LCD like this?

Hope you have some useful advice,
Phillip B
ecarlson   2007-10-18 10:50
42 is about the right age to start needing reading glasses (I'm 43).

I don't think there is any issue with using both LCD and CRT, but I've never seen any studies done, so I don't really know.

Why would the CRT be better for the CAD app? Usually the most likely place a CRT might have an advantage over an LCD is in color accuracy, and I doubt that matters in CAD, so I'd be in favor of 2 LCD's.

- Eric, www.InvisibleRobot.com
Jothay   2007-11-09 09:32
Due to the visibility differences in a CRT versus an LCD constantly going back and forth between the two for the better part of your day puts an extra strain on your eyes. Your eyes generally have to work harder to make visual sense of a CRT as they are dull and hazy when compared directly to an LCD.

For everyone's sake, when you are using multiple monitors do not mix CRTs with LCDs or you may end up forcing yourself into glasses/contacts when you could have avoided it.

As far as your CAD guys saying it will look better on the CRT, they are smokin' something fierce. An LCD is far better capable of providing the display precision that you need when viewing a CAD program.
zaroba   2007-11-27 07:57
besides eye strain, theres possible other side effects.

when i upgraded from my 17" crt to a 19" LCD i decided to use them both together. the eye strain mentioned above actually made me feel nauseated and gave me headaches due to the differences and forcing my eyes to adjust anytime i had to look between the monitors

setting the crt's resolution lower to make items about the same size helped, but there was still the differences in clarity.


i do a lot of 3d modeling and game server work, so the 2nd monitor really helped, and introduced a new 'side effect'. when i got rid of the CRT a month later, i really missed having the larger space to work with and didn't want to do any work until i got a 2nd LCD again. it gave me 'multi monitor addiction' :P

its just like when you only use high speed internet for a long time, then go back to using 56k :P
Forums -> Multiple monitors -> Is it medically OK to mix CRT and LCD monitors

Post Reply