Dark Mode or Night Mode, a very popular feature nowadays. Each and every smartphone and laptops of today’s world, from Google’s Android to Apple’s iPhone or from Microsoft Windows to Apple’s Mac, comes with this unique and arguably beneficial feature in their user interfaces and some of the apps too. Not only devices but also there are some apps are available that can provide the feature of Dark Mode externally for those smartphones which don’t have this feature available. The most probable reason of the huge popularity is; on the one hand, people assume this feature is good for eyes and on the other hand, the coolness and modernity of the User Interface boost when Dark Mode is on. It’s so cool for us to read and write light letters on a black background. Despite this increasing popularity for this feature, you have to think twice before using Dark Mode in the UI or in any app of your phone or laptop or whatever you are using. You have to ask yourself that Is Dark Mode better for your eyes? If yes, then how? If not, then why? Maybe, the Dark Mode is not so beneficial rather it maybe harmful. Anyways, let’s get started.
Let’s Turn On the Dark Mode!
For those, who are still unaware of Dark Mode or night mode or dark theme; it is a feature that makes your smartphone’s or computer’s user interface from dark letters, icons etc. with white background to light letters and icons with the black background. For my readers who are extra curious, I am letting you know that Dark Mode feature is not actually a modern feature rather its root is from some of the earliest home computers that used monochrome CRT monitors which displayed greenish text on the black screen.
Not only that but also early word processor machines (just like today, we use Microsoft Word) allow the user to type white characters on black background. After that, all these styles changed in the ’80s when companies like Xerox and CPC Corporation made word processing machines that had a black text with white backgrounds. This was done actually to replicate the look and quite the feeling of the ink on the paper. And now, that Dark Mode is back again with its full power to the market. Leading brands like Google, Apple, Microsoft try to promote this feature hugely by introducing it in their almost every product.
SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA
Therefore, you can see that it’s not the first time we are using this feature rather in early times, this feature was used anyways though did not get any popularity for its rarity.
Should You Really Use Dark Mode?
Dark Mode is definitely not so utile as most of the users think. It looks cool. Yeah, I can agree but it has lots of benefits. That’s not true. Honestly speaking, there are a handful of advantages that one can get by enabling this feature.
Reduces Energy Consumption in OLED & AMOLED Displays
This is the by default benefit that we can get by enabling Dark Mode. If your device’s screen is an OLED or AMOLED display then Dark Mode can consume less energy or battery in compared to normal mode. In the panel of OLED or AMOLED displays, each and every pixel are lit individually so in normal mode, as the background is white, the pixels are turned on and the display needs more power to show the items on the screen.
Similarly, when Dark Mode is enabled, the background becomes black or in some cases, deep grey. Though in that case, the pixels are still turned on but the display obviously does not demand more power as it needs more darkness to show items on the screen. Therefore, the consumption of power is certainly lowered. This is basically a scientific advantage of Dark Mode though this benefit is only for OLED or AMOLED displays, not for LCD displays. If you have any smartphone or laptops with LCD display, unfortunately, Dark Mode cannot help you to save more power.
Keep the Eyes Safe from Harmful Blue Light
Another insignificant and maybe the last benefit of Dark Mode is that it reduces the blue light which is known to be the harmful element for our eyes. Blue light has the shortest wavelength than any other so that it can penetrate all the way to the retina when we see something blue or bluish for hours and it can damage the tiny muscle tissues outside the retina with its high energy level. In this way, it can lead to eye strain, soreness to the eyes etc. Besides, blue light suppresses the secretion of melatonin which is a hormone that helps to take proper sleep at night. Surprisingly, the Sun is the ultimate source of blue light for the human beings but we can get some blue light also from monitors, laptops or smartphones which are not something very dangerous as it seems and one should not worried about it because if it really that dangerous to see blue light, everyone would have suffered from eye decease today for watching the sunlight!
Though manufacturers strongly claim that Dark Mode reduces the blue light and it increases visibility in the night and low light, reduces eye-soreness, eye strain, it is not that much of advantage actually mostly because Dark Mode’s numbers of disadvantages go on and on.
You Don’t Need to Use Dark Mode!
The disadvantages of the Dark Mode feature literally overshadowed its advantages. It seems Dark Mode has no disadvantage, right? But it does have, more than we all think. Let’s know the true colour of “Dark Mode”. Oops, I just forgot that it has no colour actually! Also, let’s see Is Dark Mode better for your eyes or not?
It’s All About Habits
First and foremost, Human beings are well accustomed with the black texts on white backgrounds and it is the perfect combination in the daytime for our visuals and for the better readability too. Dark Mode is no way can increase readability in daylight. It may be good for the night but remember, mostly we use our devices in the daytime. So, it is better to use normal mode often then Dark Mode. On the other hand, if you use Dark Mode for 5 or 6 months then your eyes will be habituated with the bright text in dim light. But, it will be problematic for you to see and read any texts of other gadgets in normal mode. Also, if you disable the Dark Mode in your device, you will start facing problems while reading and writing.
Besides that, in Dark Mode, our iris has to pressurize and widen itself to adjust its requirements of colour and brightness which is not good at all whereas the white backgrounds can reflect all the wavelengths of colours. After getting habituated with the Dark Mode, one’s iris feels discomforted if it has to see and read in normal mode again. It is human eyes that tend to see and feel the natural and clear things better. That’s why you should mostly use normal mode i.e. obviously black texts on white backgrounds.
Blue is for Good Reason!
Recent research shows that right exposure of blue light is good not only for our eyes but also for our mind & whole body. In the daytime, blue becomes like our friend and helps to make our mood better. Blue light also increases the mental performance of a human being and even helps to decrease near-sightedness in children. But, there is no research or scientific proof that says blue is harmful to eyes or Dark Mode is better for eyes. Rather it has to say that Dark Mode has reduced blue light so it is a disadvantage. White backgrounds though reflect all the wavelengths of colours including blue that can improve your mood and maintain your mental performance.
Being Cautious about Astigmatism
Astigmatism basically is a blurred vision of human eyes due to the different size of each eye. Almost 30% of people in the world are suffering from this natural decease and this astigmatism increases if the person read anything light in the dark background, something like a dark theme. Therefore, it is obvious that if you are a patient of astigmatism and you are using Dark Mode in your gadgets, the condition of your eyes will be worsened. So, you should cautious about that. You must use normal black text in white backgrounds to comfort your weak eyes.
Therefore, you can see, Dark Mode is not as advantageous as you may have thought. Still, you can use it but it’s not going to comfort your eyes anyways. If you like and understand this article: “Is Dark Mode Better for Your Eyes?” then don’t forget to comment down below and share with us your thoughts on Dark Mode.
U r good.