Screen settings for pattern glare

Updated 2026-11-02

Quick answerPattern glare describes visual discomfort from striped or high-contrast patterns. On screens, enlarge text, widen line length, reduce contrast a little and avoid zooming into fine stripes. Evidence comes from visual-stress research; this is not a diagnosis tool. Keep expectations modest.
Not medical advice. Migraine Mode is a screen-comfort tool, not a medical device. It does not diagnose or treat disease. When to see a doctor.

Reading setup

  1. Larger font; more spacing.
  2. Avoid pure black on pure white if it shimmers for you.
  3. Reader mode for dense articles.

Filters

  1. Soft dim rather than hard invert.
  2. Optional Migraine Mode modest intensity.

Related reading

  • /pattern-glare/ evidence page.
  • Wilkins and later pattern-glare literature.

FAQ

Is pattern glare the same as migraine?

It can coexist with migraine; it is a description of visual discomfort, not a full diagnosis.

Do coloured overlays help?

Some clinical contexts use them; consumer screen tints are not equivalent.

Sources

  • Wilkins A. [Review of pattern glare and visual discomfort from striped patterns]. Trends in Neurosciences, 1986 (PDF). Link
  • Pattern glare: the effects of contrast and color. Frontiers in Psychology, 2015. Link
  • Color and spatial frequency are related to visual pattern sensitivity in migraine. Headache, 2013. Link

Not a medical device and not medical advice. Migraine Mode is a screen-comfort tool: it does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent migraine or any other condition, and it does not replace a doctor. Its settings are based on studies of light, colour, flicker, patterns and motion; the extension itself has not been clinically tested. When to see a doctor.