E-readers may cause eye strain

With the advent of the i-pad and the coming of age of the Kindle e-reader the question is posed, "Which of these is easiest on the eyes." The technologies work differently. One uses a liquid crystal display with a back light, the other uses electrically charged inks to display in gray scale without the need for a back light. The kindle type are easier to see in brighter conditions much like paper. However, as the light dims, LCD's are easier to read due to the backlight.

The Wall Street Journal reports, "So far, there's little scientific evidence about which screens are better for the eyes. Ophthalmologists say there isn't really much of a difference between how the eye works with either e-paper or back-lit screens. Neither could damage the eye and neither flicker like old-fashioned TVs."

The bottom line is that either would work well for you and the choice should be made according to your lifestyle. For me, I like to read in bed at night. A laptop is a great place for me to read. I can turn the lights out and read for long periods with little difficulty.