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What Is the Best Viewing Distance to Watch a TV From?
Eyes feeling tired? Sit back!
By Matthew Torres Matthew Torres Writer Texas State University-San Marcos Former Lifewire writer Matthew Torres is a journalist who writes about television technology, consumer support articles, and TV-related news. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on September 11, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email TV & Displays Samsung Projectors Antennas HDMI & Connections Remote Controls Despite what our mothers told us as kids, sitting too close to the TV doesn't damage your vision. According to the Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO), sitting too close to the TV doesn't cause permanent damage to your eyes. Instead, it causes eye strain and fatigue. Eye strain and fatigue can be a problem because that means your eyes are tired, which translates to blurry vision. The cure is to rest your eyes, and vision returns to normal. Hoxton/Tom Merton / Getty Images This information applies to televisions from a variety of manufacturers including, but not limited to, those made by LG, Samsung, Panasonic, Sony, and Vizio. Proper Lighting for Watching TV
While sitting too close to the TV can cause eye strain and fatigue, watching TV in the wrong lighting can cause even more unnecessary eye strain. The CAO recommends that you watch TV in a well-lit room to prevent this undue fatigue on your eyes. Lighting in the TV room is essential. Some people like the room bright, others like it dark. The CAO suggests watching TV in an area that has daylight conditions. The thought is that a room too dark or too bright would force the eyes to strain to see the image. The CAO also recommends that a person shouldn't watch TV with sunglasses on. Other than removing your shades, one solution to reducing eye strain when watching TV is to backlight the TV. Backlighting is when you shine a light behind the TV. Philips Ambilight TV is probably the most famous TV with backlighting. Proper Distance to Sit From the TV
Matthias Tunger / Getty Images One line of thought is that a person can sit closer to an HDTV because our eyes see the widescreen differently than when viewing the old analog TV. Another one is that nothing has changed. You shouldn't sit with your nose touching the screen. So, how far should you sit from the TV? The CAO recommends that a person watches TV from a distance of five times the width of the TV screen. The best advice is to use a little common sense and move away from the TV if your eyes start hurting. Watch TV from a distance where you can comfortably read the text on the screen without squinting. If you're watching TV and your eyes start to feel fatigued, then move your eyes away from the TV. Try to focus them on something far away for a short time. My favorite example of this in action is the CAO's 20-20-20 rule. They created the 20-20-20 rule for computer viewing, but you can apply it to any situation where eye strain is a problem, like watching TV. According to the CAO, "every 20 minutes take a 20-second break and focus your eyes on something at least 20 feet away." If you have tired, achy eyes after sitting in front of a screen, you might benefit from a blue light filter application or computer glasses. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Calculate the Viewing Distance for a TV The 8 Best 40-Inch Smart TVs of 2022 How to Buy a TV in 2022 How to Connect Your Phone to Your TV With USB What Is the Screen Door Effect? The Best Picture Settings for Samsung 4K TV Neo QLED vs. OLED: What's the Difference? How to Use Slack Dark Mode for Desktop Video Projector vs. TV: Which is Best for You? Kindle vs. Fire Tablet: What's the Difference? How to Place Stereo Speakers for the Best Performance The 5 Best 48-Inch TVs of 2022 QLED vs. OLED The 2 Best Walmart TVs in 2022 The 7 Best Outdoor TVs of 2022 How to Watch Movies on iPhone Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies