# Does it hurt your eyes to read on the fire?



## coffeetx (Feb 12, 2011)

I lost my kindle    and I have to replace it.  I am trying to decide if I want to just get another kindle or if I want to upgrade to the fire.  I will be using it for reading a lot of the time and I've heard many say that it doesn't have the e-ink so it hurts your eyes.  Does anyone have input?


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

That is such a personal thing and everyone is different. So you'll get all kinds of experiences on this. For me, I can't read for long periods on my Fire. My eyes do start hurting because of the backlight. I found that the text looks best when I turn it with the power button on the right. Its weird, it seems more blurry in portrait. But my eyes get blurry and start drifting and I can get a headache easy if I read for too long on it. 

I can and do read on my e ink Kindle for hours and not have any issues. It is just more relaxing for me. Since I read a lot of books, it is very important not to overtax my eyes, they are bad enough as they are. 

But others have no issues at all reading on backlit devices, so its just so personal.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Mine don't.  I use Caecilia typeface, second smallest, middle line spacing, narrowest margins and sepia pages with brown letters.

But I still prefer reading on an eInk kindle when the light is sufficient.


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## TraceyC/FL (Mar 23, 2011)

I have no issues reading on my iPad, so I'd not expect an on the fire as the resolution is the same/better. In the last year since I gained access to ebook library books I've read an insane amount on it - normally a few hours a day at least!

Like Ann I prefer sepia, and for me I run the brightness turned down most of the way. I've heard the brightness on the Fire might still be a bit to high for reading (especially and night), but hopefully they can fix that in an update.

With the generous return policy at amazon and target it would be worth it to buy it and give it a fair chance for reading on under various conditions.


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## CegAbq (Mar 17, 2009)

I don't mind reading on the Fire. I use the white font on black background & turn the brightness down. I also read on my Android smartphone with the same setting.


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## Hoosiermama (Dec 28, 2009)

I have the Fire and the Touch. For long stretches, I still prefer reading on the Touch, and I think it will be better for reading outside (in the spring, summer and early fall, I read a LOT outside). But for a dark bedroom, snuggled under the covers, the Fire is wonderful. I use the black background with white print. I love that I don't have to have a light, and the light from the screen isn't too bright. I turn the brightness setting all the way down.


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## Tiffany01 (Dec 29, 2011)

I prefer sepia and big txt.


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## kindlegrl81 (Jan 19, 2010)

I can read comfortably on the Fire for about 20-30 minutes before I have to put it down, same with my iPad.  This is with the brightness turned all the way down and the pages either in night mode or sepia.  I don't think I will ever be a big reader on LCD screens, eink is definitely for me


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## sparklemotion (Jan 13, 2011)

In doesn't bother my eyes in the least. I can read on it for hours with no problem. 

I'm sorry you lost your kindle.


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## pitbullandfire (Nov 27, 2011)

It doesn't hurt my eyes at all...I read for hours on the e-ink Kindles and the Fire w/o a problem...However, because I take a Kindle with me where ever I go, I'm usually reading e-ink nowadays...


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## teri (Sep 13, 2010)

I don't have a problem with the Fire.  I do like most do here and use Sepia and the brightness turned way down at night.  I haven't picked up my K3 in weeks.  I know I will use it again in the spring when I read by the pool as the Fire isn't meant for reading in the sunlight.


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## Mollyb52 (Jan 4, 2009)

I use sepia with the brightness turned way down.  It does not hurt my eyes at all.  I really enjoy it in low light.  But....I took my Fire in the car a couple of days ago and bright light and glare makes the Fire unusable to me.  I think if possible the best solution is one of each.  Your choice should depend on the setting you will use the device in most.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

coffeetx--

It doesn't bother my eyes, but I knew that going in as I was on my iPad and/or computer screen all day long before I got the Fire.

If you do a lot of reading you should also consider weight and battery life.  The Fire is 14 oz vs 5.75 oz for my K4, both nekkid.  My K4 goes a week with WiFi on all the time, the Fire goes a day.  If I wanted a reader, I'd still go with an eInk Kindle because of the weight, ease of holding and battery life, as I can read on either eInk or backlit screen comfortably.

Sorry about the loss of your Kindle!  

Betsy


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## minniemouse00 (Jul 3, 2010)

I downloaded the _screen filter_ app and it pretty much eliminates any glare from the fire. I have it on my android phone too. It's great. Unfortunately it's not available from the amazon marketplace so you have to side load it. I got it from here http://download.pandaapp.com/android-app/screen-filter1.2-id5112.html
Just save it to your computer and then drag it over to your fire via usb. Reading on my fire, especially in a dark room, is much easier with it.


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## teralpar (May 18, 2010)

Over the past few weeks, I've gotten used to reading on my Fire. I now do about 95% of my at-home reading on it--using the sepia background with the brightness turned all the way down, and reading on it for hours hasn't been an issue. I still read on my Kindle Keyboard when I'm away from home, since I hardly ever take my Fire outside of the house.


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## geniebeanie (Apr 23, 2009)

I perfer to read on the fire, very easy on my eyes once I figured out how to change the front and make it bigger and adjust the brigthness.


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## ireadbooks (Jan 11, 2011)

Sorry to hear about your loss.

Before i received my Fire, I also thought it would be hard on the eyes. However, after actually reading a bit on it, I've found it surprisingly nice.

I use the black background, #4 size font, and Caecilia typeface. 

That being said, I still prefer e-ink if possible. And call me lazy, but I prefer not having to tap or swipe anything. With my Kindle Keyboard, I can simply apply a bit of pressure and it's off to the next page.


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## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

I do like the fact that the fire has more font options and the convenience of reading without a light. I fond myself using my fire for media uses beyond reading (Netflix, forums, facebok, youtube, and so forth). I like reading from kindle 3 (wifi /3G) more than my fire. Its lighter and it is more appealing to the eye.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk


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## BooksGalore (Aug 5, 2010)

Coffee,
Do you have issues sitting at a computer for long periods?  My husband lives on the computer (work and down time), whereas I can't stay on a computer longer than an hour.  I can read on my kindle longer than even a regular book, but on a backlit screeens for only short periods.  That said, I do have both the kindle 3 and the Fire - I simply use them for different purposes.  Best of luck in your decision - I'm not a shopper or materialistic type, but would re-order my kindle the moment something happened to it.  My kids think I'm nuts.   They didn't realize it before?


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## teralpar (May 18, 2010)

BooksGalore said:


> Coffee,
> I'm not a shopper or materialistic type, but would re-order my kindle the moment something happened to it. My kids think I'm nuts.  They didn't realize it before?


I'm the same way. And I always have to have at least 2 Kindles on hand! When I sold my Kindle Keyboard WiFi so that I could buy the 3G, I thought I was going to DIE because I didn't have an e-ink Kindle for 2 days! Now mind you, I have a Kindle Fire AND the Kindle app on my Android phone and iPhone (which I now use as an MP3 player), Kindle for PC, and Kindle Cloud Reader. My family doesn't understand my Kindle obsession!


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## auntmarge (Dec 4, 2008)

sparklemotion said:


> In doesn't bother my eyes in the least. I can read on it for hours with no problem.


Ditto. I use the smallest type and margins and closest line spacing, with black on white type. I read for hours and find it more comfortable than the E-ink, which I never liked on any of the regular Kindles I had ( 1, 2, 3, or DX).


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## Hadou (Jun 1, 2011)

I've not had any issues with eye-strain, and there's been stretches where I'm reading for hours.


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## kindlegrl81 (Jan 19, 2010)

minniemouse00 said:


> I downloaded the _screen filter_ app and it pretty much eliminates any glare from the fire. I have it on my android phone too. It's great. Unfortunately it's not available from the amazon marketplace so you have to side load it. I got it from here http://download.pandaapp.com/android-app/screen-filter1.2-id5112.html
> Just save it to your computer and then drag it over to your fire via usb. Reading on my fire, especially in a dark room, is much easier with it.


Thanks for this...it does help quite a lot (still don't think I will be giving up eink anytime soon though  ). And just so others know, you do not have to side-load it with the usb cord...it will download directly to the Fire through the web browser if you have it connected to wifi.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

minniemouse00 said:


> I downloaded the _screen filter_ app and it pretty much eliminates any glare from the fire. I have it on my android phone too. It's great. Unfortunately it's not available from the amazon marketplace so you have to side load it. I got it from here http://download.pandaapp.com/android-app/screen-filter1.2-id5112.html
> Just save it to your computer and then drag it over to your fire via usb. Reading on my fire, especially in a dark room, is much easier with it.


Thanks for the link - I've been wanting to try Screen Filter but hadn't found it. Tried it last night and it did seem to turn down the brightness on the Kindle app to a more comfortable level. One thing I've read is not to turn it ALL the way down to black, that you won't be able to turn it back up, and will have to uninstall & reinstall the app. A word to the wise, and like I say, it's just what I've read, I haven't had it happen to me.


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## bordercollielady (Nov 21, 2008)

I can only read on the fire for short periods of time.  It's way too bright for my eyes.  But then I have stared at a computer screen for 8+ hrs a day -  34 yrs..  and I believe that is a contributing factor to my developing glaucoma.  So that is why I love my K3 Kindle - I can read the E-Ink screen for hours at a time.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

border collie lady--

Have you tried turning the brightness down?  And there's an app (sideloaded) which will let you turn it down even more, being discussed in another app.

Betsy


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

It's just not the same as e-ink. Daytime I can read on the Fire with no problem, at night however, 10-15 minutes, and my eyes feel like they want to roll back deep into my head and hide. switch to my  K2, and I'm fine again.


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## lindnet (Jan 25, 2009)

I read on the Fire for about a month after selling my K3 and waiting for my Touch (a Christmas present).  I am on a computer all day, and it just wasn't comfortable reading on the Fire to me.  It was just like more computer screen.  Now that I have my e-ink screen back, I'm a happy camper.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I put on that screen filter app thingy last night to try out and it is much much easier. Still not for more than a few pages of reading. I would still prefer it if they put the option for lower brightness in a update as that would save battery power. This app just puts a layer over so its still using the same power. 
Without that app in the dark in bed I feel like I am staring in the sun, even with brightness turn all the way down. Really the last inch or so on the slider doesn't have any difference in brightness on my Fire. 

My eyes get very sensitive in the dark anyway so that might be why backlit screens like it hurt me. I am on the computer for hours too, but that cannot compare to reading line by line a book. Your eyes get to wander around all over the screen and so it doesn't have the same affect on me. I also take breaks by looking across the room, or my hubby, or out the window every few minutes. When I read a book I get lost in it and not notice anything else. 

I was careful with the app to not turn it too low. I basically turned the brightness all the way down on the Fire first, then went into the settings of the app and got it to the percentage I want to read at. That way to use it I can just tap the app and turn brightness all the way down. I won't have to change the percentage again, that is unless there is a update. 

I put the file into the dropbox and just hit that on my Fire and voila  . 

Now if I could just stay awake when reading in bed  . As soon as I go horizontal in bed 2 things happen. My cat will either sit on my chest or my face in protest and I doze off. 

But with this app at least I can read on the Fire better period after dark. Even if for only a few minutes.  So thanks for posting that minniemouse.


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## dori chatelain (Dec 31, 2011)

I have both a kindle keyboard and a fire and I tried to read on the fire but after reading on my kindle keyboard for over a year I don't enjoy reading on the fire as much for long periods of time. but I didn't get my fire to read on I got it to play on....


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## CrystalStarr (Jan 17, 2011)

I can read on the Fire no problem. I just prefer my eink touch. Mostly because it is lighter and easier to hold plus it has great battery life. And I do enjoy the eink. 

When I started reading ebooks it was on backlit palm devices. It was fine.


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## bordercollielady (Nov 21, 2008)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> border collie lady--
> 
> Have you tried turning the brightness down? And there's an app (sideloaded) which will let you turn it down even more, being discussed in another app.
> 
> Betsy


Not yet - but I will give it a try. It would be nice to read without a lamp on at night but I so love my Kindle and the E-ink..


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