Ask HN: Can't focus when writing code in dark mode
Seeing fellow programmers left and right switching to dark mode and everyone seems very happy. I gave it a try a few times but it just doesn't work. I can't focus.
It is not the time that I need to get used to a different syntax highlighting scheme because I switch between editors all the time. I'm perfectly fine as long as the background is lighter than the foreground, so it has to do something with the dark mode itself.
Is it that I have to give it more time (so I can stop noticing that "something is wrong"), or simply it doesn't work for some people? And if so, what am I losing (reduced eye fatigue, better sleep...)?
56 comments
[ 3.0 ms ] story [ 118 ms ] threadYour personal productivity story doesn't have to be like anyone elses. As you work, start paying attention to what conditions seem to work better for you.
Different brains and bodies are different, and programming as a mentally strenuous activity requires that you pay attention to your mental wellness.
This also applies to ergonomics. There's a guideline for good ergonomics... but you'll need to experiment and personalize to fit your own ..umm... physiology(?).
I'm actually a huge fan of dark mode. I also enable flux's night mode the whole day; it seems to make me sleep better since I already have enough blue light in my daily life. I don't need more from a monitor.
If you want the least eye fatigue, you gotta go with yellow on blue, like Word Perfect of old. It's all about compromises.
I do run f.lux, static at 49k... but I have found that dark editor schemes make me feel claustrophobic (!).
Everyone’s different! It just might not work for people like you or I, and that’s okay. :)
https://github.com/ChrisKempson/Tomorrow-Theme
Dark mode has one distinct advantage: colors pop way more meaning the syntax highlighting is more pronounced, which makes it easier to navigate the code.
It could be debated but I think it's a matter of personal taste, habits, personal sensitivity to light and scientific-based explanations and that each of those aspects carry a different weight depending on the person.
For me, the best is to have dark text on a light enough background, enough screen brightness overall, and a well lit room (natural light is really good, as long as it isn't coming from behind me).
Dark mode allows your iris to expand, which makes natural optical focus harder to achieve.
With more light, the iris contracts (small pupils) and the light that comes though it is naturally in focus on your retina without muscular help.
In a dark room, with the screen is at a short distance from you, your eye muscles have to squeeze your cornea into the right shape to put the image into focus on your retina.
And the older you get, the more inflexible your retina becomes, and your eye muscles are trying to squeeze a stone.
In either case, reading glasses can help if they are properly adjusted to the distance from your eyes to your screen. the amount of squeezing on the cornea is eliminated (or minimized)
If you are using something closer, like an ipad or phone, you might need higher power reading glasses.
I use +0.75 for my computer screen and +1.25 for something held closer like an ipad.
Oh to be young again! When I was a kid I could focus at infinity AND focus on my fingerprint when my finger was held at the end of my nose.
I’m also old enough to recognise the current fashion trend for dark mode is exactly that - a current fashion trend. They come and go all the time in every area and can be ignored if they don’t work for you.
If you’re more productive in light mode stick with it, stop worrying, and ignore the sheep who say dark mode is better. You can churn out code while they fiddle with their IDE settings to optimise the latest productivity hack.
I still use most terminals in dark mode because I dislike their light color themes.
I guess the essence is that I prefer light themes if they are really good (for me). In the end this is all subjective and you should just choose by comparing themes yourself and not because others use "some theme".
In my 20s/early 30s I really preferred a dark environment when coding. It's how I "grew up" with my first job back in the 90s, based in a cellar.
At some point around being ~36-38 years old I randomly started feeling that I preferred a light environment - a view outside would be really nice too.
I think it's mostly due to what you're used to.
Interestingly I developed astigmatism over a few short days when I was under a lot of mental trauma. Not sure if that was causal or just coincident. Can a serious emotional shock damage eyesight?
I've not only got all my IDEs in dark mode, all my browser apps use stylus to darken things if the app doesn't already have it, and my MacOS is set to be permanently dark. And naturally my terminal window as well, and my mobile apps on all devices.
I simply find the strain on my eyes is a lot less. Particularly at night if I feel I need to reply to a message or use the laptop for whatever reason, it doesn't make my eyes hurt to open it. Before my dark mode revelation it would actually make me have to close my eyes.
Aethetically it makes sense too. With dark your laptop stops being a massive source of light, it's more of an everyday object that fits in any lighting.
[1] https://eyewiki.aao.org/Physiology_of_Astigmatism
If dark mode isn't your cup of tea, you might try just decreasing the contrast of your light background or lowering the brightness on your monitor to get the same benefit. But really, your eyes are yours. If your setup works and doesn't seem to be causing you eye strain? Use that! No problem at all.
If any of you are anywhere near 40 and feeling eye strain; you might be starting to suffer from presbyopia as i and most do at that age, getting a larger monitor and placing it slightly further away helps a lot more than any theme changes.