Computer related migraines

Specific Illnesses & Conditions VM/MAV
1

Hi,

One of my biggest triggers for a migraine and a vertigo attack from hell is using my computer. Unfortunately I work from home and HAVE to use it. Does anyone know if the stick on screen filters work or the computer glasses? They are both supposed to help filter out the flickering from the screen that is thought to bring on migraine in some people. Just wondering if anyone had any experience with either one?

2

Hi

I’ve got these: crossboweducation.com/monitor_overlays.htm

The blue one makes a lot of difference for me- less glare. It doesnt eradicate it all, but it does make a noticeable difference. I also use them to look at anything on white paper- white backgrounds are hell to my head. (Unfortunately I can’t do much about white walls!)

Good news is you work from home so you have the chance to change lots of things in your environment… Like the lighting for instance. Maybe experiemnt with that too. x

3

In my personal experience, there are two reasons computer monitors cause my MAV:

  1. Flickering
  2. Brightness

I’ve been able to eliminate #1 by getting an LED-backlit IPS LCD monitor, setting it to 100% brightness, and then reducing the brightness in software (in my case, the NVIDIA control panel). LED backlit monitors DO flicker at any brightness less than 100%, but usually if you set them to 100% brightness they no longer flicker. And the IPS monitors don’t do any color flickering either like a lot of other LCD monitors do.

The brightness issue seems to be a much tougher problem for me to solve. Even at low levels of brightness almost every monitor still seems to bother me. But at a much slower rate (usually after a few hours) than the flickering problem (usually a problem after 10-15 minutes).

Another issue is that if I use a monitor that is flickering under any type of fluorescent lighting (even the new “good” kind) I get sick within minutes.

Doc tried Verapamil but it didn’t help. I just switched to Nortriptyline and I’m somewhat encouraged by my early response though I haven’t really tried to use a monitor through an entire workday timeperiod yet.