Screens have become inescapable fixtures in our lives. Whether for work, gaming, or studying, most of us spend our waking hours staring at displays. As our lifestyles grow more tethered to technology, questions about its impact on our health are intensifying. Electronic displays and the artificial light they emit may be responsible for digital eye strain, sleeplessness, and, in the long term, eyesight damage. Display certification systems have been established to address these issues, and the two biggest are Eyesafe® Display Requirements and the TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light standards.
Both set maximum blue light levels, but each approaches the issue in a different way. In this article, we’ll look at how Eyesafe standards work, how they compare with TÜV, and whether one system is better than the other.
The Problem with Blue Light
It’s important to understand the issue that display certifications aim to solve. Visible light is a small band in the electromagnetic spectrum and is made up of wavelengths between about 400 and 700 nanometers. Colors with shorter wavelengths, like blue, are high-energy, while longer ones like red are low-energy.
Blue light is not intrinsically harmful. We get plenty of exposure to it from sunlight. But exposure to high-energy visible (HEV) blue light, particularly from digital screens, has been linked to problems such as:
Digital eye strain: Irritation, dryness, blurred vision, headaches
The average adult is on screens for over 7 hours a day, so minimizing blue light is a major health consideration.
What Are Eyesafe Display Requirements?
Eyesafe is an international health standards organization that brings together ophthalmologists, optometrists, engineers, and consumer electronics industry leaders. Their Eyesafe® Display Requirements are designed to improve eye safety by reducing harmful blue light emissions without degrading color or brightness.
Key Features of Eyesafe Standards
Blue light reduction is not a simple software filter or adjustment. It’s built into the hardware of the panel itself, making it transparent to the user.
How Do TÜV Rheinland Standards Work?
TÜV Rheinland is a German-based certification body with international reach. It has long been in the business of certifying electronics displays for blue light. TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light (LBL) standards are used by a large number of consumer electronics companies. In fact, you’re unlikely to find a mainstream laptop, monitor, or touchscreen monitor that doesn’t meet TÜV standards.
Key Features of TÜV Rheinland Standards
● Low blue light emissions: Primarily limits the emission of wavelengths less than 450 nm in order to lower visual stress.
● Software and hardware filtering: Allows companies to meet the standard through software, hardware, or both.
● Certification flexibility: TÜV Rheinland offers various levels of certification, including flicker-free, eye comfort, and color accuracy.
TÜV is generally less stringent than Eyesafe, especially regarding color accuracy and maximum blue light.
Eyesafe vs. TÜV Rheinland: A Technical Comparison
Let’s compare these two systems against some key display health and performance features:
Feature Eyesafe Display Requirements TÜV Rheinland Standards
Verdict: Which One is Better?
The short answer is that Eyesafe is better. TÜV Rheinland certification is widespread and is generally better than nothing. But Eyesafe-certified displays are far more rigorous and health-focused. Their strict standards and commitment to preserving display quality are well-suited to professional use.
Why Display Standards Matter in Real Life
Okay, let’s be honest. You’re looking at the spec sheet of your next monitor or touchscreen and thinking—does any of this really matter?
Yes, it does. If you’re in the market for a new display, certifications like Eyesafe and TÜV Rheinland are easy ways to find products that should be more comfortable and safer over the long haul. For example:
● Students and professionals can enjoy fewer problems with eye strain and drier eyes during long study or work sessions.
● Gamers can protect their vision while still getting a top performance display.
● Designers, videographers, and other creators can get the color accuracy they need without sacrificing eye comfort.
PLUS, if you go with a device that meets Eyesafe requirements, you’re also likely to get other health-related features that modern displays often include, like flicker-free technology, anti-glare surface treatments, and so on.
Are Software Blue Light Filters Enough?
Most OSs and smartphones these days ship with some version of a blue light filter. iOS has Night Shift, Windows 10 has Night Light, and Android has Comfort View. All of these work in roughly the same way by shifting the display’s color temperature. The result is a warmer, redder screen during the evening hours.
● This sort of user-applied adjustment has some major drawbacks.
● Inconsistent: Users need to remember to turn it on, or set it to come on at a certain time
● Color distortion: Warm filters always mess with the accuracy of the display
● Brightness not adjusted: Blue filters only address color temperature. It’s the overall intensity of a display that also causes eye strain
Hardware-level blue light reduction like Eyesafe is always on, more effective, and far superior in terms of maintaining the quality of what you see.
Industry Adoption: Who’s Leading the Way?
Eyesafe and TÜV both have major industry partners. Some big names in tech are Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung have Eyesafe-certified displays in their product lineups. Meanwhile, TÜV is effectively standard in consumer electronics, thanks to the low bar it sets and the tradeoffs companies can make to achieve it.
If you’re in the market for a new display, and your priority is comfort, pay special attention to these labels and make sure what you’re buying is Eyesafe and not just “TÜV Low Blue Light.”
What to Look for When Buying a Monitor or Touchscreen
The advice here applies to both touchscreen monitors or conventional desktop or laptop displays.
● Check for Certifications: Both TÜV and Eyesafe certified should be on the box, or listed in the specs online.
● Brightness & Resolution: Screen clarity and definition should not be sacrificed for eye safety. Choose a display with a high native resolution.
● Flicker-Free Tech: Monitors that use flicker-free technology offer improved visual comfort, especially over long periods of time.
● Anti-Glare Surface: A matte surface helps prevent reflections and improves viewing in brightly lit rooms.
● Color Accuracy: If you work in design, photography, or other media fields, you can’t sacrifice color accuracy for anything.
UPERFECT monitors and touchscreen devices integrate many of these features to provide a portable, versatile device that you can use for work or entertainment. Our monitors have vivid and bright displays with low blue light filtering and ergonomic adjustments to help keep you comfortable all day long.
Final Thoughts
Eyesafe and TÜV are both fighting the good fight to help reduce the effects of blue light. In that sense, TÜV is a good starting point, and it’s widespread due to its accessibility and leniency on some tradeoffs. Eyesafe Display Requirements, on the other hand, go much further in setting blue light thresholds, maintaining color accuracy, and keeping health and safety at the forefront of their design.
If you take your health, comfort, and display performance seriously, Eyesafe-certified displays are the superior choice. They are especially recommended for people who spend long hours in front of screens. So when you’re shopping for your next monitor or touchscreen display, be sure to look for blue light certification. It could be the key to protecting your vision for years to come.
