Ultra Wide Monitors vs. Dual Monitors: Which is Better for Reducing Eye Strain and Neck Strain for Web Developers?

You're deciding between an ultra wide monitor and dual monitors, and whether either actually helps with eye strain and neck strain. Here's what each setup does, what it costs in desk space and money, and what matters more than the choice itself.

• Ultra wide monitors:
  • Pros: An ultra wide monitor lets you run multiple programs side by side without switching windows. Most ship with higher resolution and refresh rates than standard monitors, which reduces flicker-related eye fatigue. The wider viewing angle means less neck rotation when you glance between windows.
  • Cons: Ultra wide monitors cost more than standard displays and eat up horizontal desk space. The curve on many models distorts straight lines near the edges, and some people find that distortion tiring after a few hours.
• Dual monitor setup:
  • Pros: Two monitors give you the same multi-program workflow as an ultra wide. Resolution and refresh rate will be better than your laptop screen, cutting down on the squinting and headaches that come from a dim, flickering panel.
  • Cons: Dual monitors need a second display and the graphics output to drive it, which adds cost. They take up more desk depth than a single screen, and you'll be managing extra power cables and video connections.

Here's how to cut eye strain and neck strain with either setup:

• Take breaks: Look away from the screen every twenty to thirty minutes. Your eyes stop tracking properly after sustained focus, and a break resets that.
• Adjust your screen: Position the top of the monitor at or slightly below eye level, and keep it an arm's length away. Closer than that and your neck angles down; farther and you lean forward.
• Use good lighting: Kill the glare. An anti-glare screen helps, but so does repositioning a lamp or closing a blind. Reflections force your eyes to refocus constantly.
• Consider accessories: A monitor arm lets you adjust height and distance without stacking books under the stand. A riser works if you don't need to move the screen often.

That covers what each setup does for your eyes and neck, and what to adjust once you've picked one. The next article in this series looks at treadmill desks and whether walking while you work is worth the floor space.