How to adjust the maximum white (NOT overall brightness) on an LCD computer monitor (display/screen)?

Question

My eyes are hurting from computer use.

I use dark colors when possible, but some applications only use bright white backgrounds. They are resulting in physical pain in my eyes.

I have turned my monitor's brightness down to zero, but pure white (#FFF) is still too bright.

I would like to reduce the maximum brightness without lowering the overall brightness any further.

In other words, I would like to display the area "X'd" out in the image below as a light gray without affecting everything else too much:

What I've tried:

1. Reducing overall brightness. This makes all the less-bright colors too dim and only reduces the brightest white a little bit.
2. Adjusting contrast. This doesn't reduce the brightest whites.
3. Adjusting gamma. This doesn't make the brightest whites less bright.

The monitor is currently connected to a Windows laptop via HDMI.

I'm interested in all solutions.

Solution 1

I experience the same problem as well. What I can do right now is to use old LCD monitor when working with white background.

Ps. I use multiple monitors with my pc. The new monitors these days are really hurting the eyes.

Solution 2

I know this question is from a year ago but what helped me was the NVIDIA control panel, just play around with the brightness and contrast settings, I keep the brightness low (15-30max and then just make the contrast brighter. I would recommend testing this on a good template or something.

Solution 3

AFAIK Windows itself does not provide any (sane) possibilty to change colors for default elements' colors or color curve correction (only global gamma ramps).

Global color correction with custom gamma curves can be applied by using 3d party software with LUT curve editing capabilities. But obviously reduction of white will result in image quality loss. E.g. you will not be able to see UI elements border highlights etc. so they will appear 'flat'.

I think it is against SE rules to place links to 3d party software, and most of them are paid software. So you can try to search online for "windows monitor calibration custom LUT utility".

Comments

[Máté Juhász]

Not a computer related answer, but pain is definitely a situation when you need to visit a doctor. Maybe he can suggest glasses /eyedrops...

[RockPaperLz- Mask it or Casket]

@MátéJuhász Thanks Máté. I've been trying to figure out how to get seen by an ophthalmologist virutally, given that I can't safely visit one in person due to COVID-19. If you have any amateur recommendations (or you happen to be a professional), I'm all ears. Thanks again.

[RockPaperLz- Mask it or Casket]

Thank you Mikhail. I will look using those specific terms. Also, allow me to introduce you to Software Recommendations SE, where software recommendations are very welcome! I happen to be a moderator, so if you have any questions, just ask. Here is a link to my question there on this topic: softwarerecs.stackexchange.com/questions/74611/…

[RockPaperLz- Mask it or Casket]

New answers are always welcome to older questions. Thank you for your suggestion.

[Community]

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[Ravindra Bawane]

This does not really answer the question. If you have a different question, you can ask it by clicking Ask Question. To get notified when this question gets new answers, you can follow this question. Once you have enough reputation, you can also add a bounty to draw more attention to this question. - From Review

[empleat]

For some reason this works better in OSD, grey is supposed to be always consisting of equal RGB values like (37,37,37). For some reasons using NVCP this makes screen too greenish. I also had to reduce little bit green in OSD and now it is more nice grey, it is not ideal... but I have no longer feeling like someone is burning my eyes with torch... It is crazy how modern monitors shine! I have brightness just 10% and 40% contrast, black levels 50% otherwise video is too dark! Not sure what gamma I use, but it is not brighest!