Vision Issues & Vertigo with operating systems after Catalina

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I have been using Macs for last 20 yrs with no issues at all, and currently have a 2019 Pro that still has Catalina on it that I work on every day with zero issues and I have a 2018 air that I have used for last 3 years with no issue, always on Catalina. I recently upgraded that one to Montery and instantly, I can't even look at the screen anymore. After looking at it for even minute I get nausea and vertigo and this lasts for at least 24 hours after that. Ive tried Ventura, same thing. Ive tried a brand new 2020 Mac same thing. Desperate because I don't know how I'm going to be able to continue to work. Its not the hardware because the same computer that I used for 3 years instantly change with the update, it has to be the software. Also, using an external monitor doesn't help.. whatever this issue is, goes through to the monitor somehow. Does anyone know what in the world this could be?
 

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You may or may not know...but with newer macOS versions...Apple is making the macOS more & more like the iOS on iPad's & iPhone's...it's possible this is why you're seeing a difference.

There are tweaks in the macOS to adjust the size of text...depending where you are mainly having the issues. If you can tell us where you are mainly having the issues...very possible we can suggest where to make some adjustments.

Another possibility...maybe the desktop pattern being used is causing some of the vertigo...and changing the desktop pattern may help.

Lastly...maybe the vertigo is being caused by some sort of health issue that just so happens to have coincided with the macOS upgrades you've made recently.

Anything is possible.

Nick
 
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Welcome to the forums!

In addition to what Nick has said, it is unlikely that anything in the OS can change the hardware in the Mac to cause any change in the monitor/screen itself. The hardware is what it is. So, if what Nick suggested for size of text/backgrounds doesn't help, I second what he suggested about getting checked by a doctor for what may be causing the vertigo.
 
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Thank you so much for your response! I don't think its a health issue because I still work all day on my other computer with zero issue, I'm on my I-phone all day browsing apps and online with zero issue, and watch tv with no issue.. the only time this happens is when I'm trying to use the laptop that was upgraded or the new laptop that is on Ventura. I am using the LED I-phone, and not the OLED. I would like to try changing the text but the issue is more like an overalls screen effect, as if there is a flicker that my eyes are perceiving that make it hard to look at the screen at all and because I see that flicker or whatever it is, its causing movement that is making me sick and its kind of a constant assault on my eyes. I do have my old original background up as well.. the one that I have been using on that laptop for years and is also on my other work laptop (2019 Mac Pro w Catalina) that I use daily with zero eye issues. I have used the exact same laptop for 3 years (2018 Mac air) with zero issue until I upgraded it. I now I have a new 2020 Pro with Ventura that I also can't look at even for a minute so unable to use or work.
 
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Nothing in the software changes the refresh rate of the hardware, so if there is a flicker, it was there before Ventura. And health, particularly vision, can have very subtle changes literally overnight. I would get a doctor to examine you to eliminate that. If the doctor says you are fine, then you will probably have to leave the Mac and hope that whatever you get in place of it doesn't use similar hardware.
 
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It may be the refresh rate has changed.
System settings - Monitor.
Try changing it to a Higher or Lower setting.
(Its been a while since I have done this so can't tell you how, but google it)
 
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Kenney is right, you can change the refresh rate. The default is ProMotion, which may be the issue.

My bad. But I'd get my eyes checked anyway, as ProMotion shouldn't cause vertigo. But change the rate to something you can tolerate.
 
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I thought it was the Pro Motion as well.. but found out that is only on the 16 inch Macs, and all of mine are 13 inch. I have had my eyes checked several times regarding this issue and they all say there is nothing wrong with my eyes, it could in theory be an issue brain/eye issue that I would need to a neuro opthamologist.. but I tend to believe it isn't health related because other than trying to use these new Macs I don't have any issues at all. And working 8 hours a day on my Catalina Mac without a problem at all. It feels like movement when I look at the screen with new os, like motion sickness and not able to read anything there is a motion that my eyes are perceiving and its intense. I know it isn the laptop itself because I was using the exact same laptop for 3 years and instantly after upgrade this happened. On my 2018 air and 2019 pro the refresh rate is at 60hz.. but on the 2020 pro there is no option to adjust refresh rate from the settings/displays.
 
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Open up System Preferences, then Accessibility, and check out the options under Display. You may want to experiment with some of the options there. If "Reduce Motion" in particular isn't turned on, try that.
 
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One more thing worth trying... a different display resolution. It may be that everything is just a tad too small. I experience something similar to you I would say when I run my MBA at its full native resolution. Same on my 27" iMac.
 

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Too small text is what I was thinking as well (mentioned in post #2 above). If text is smaller after the macOS upgrade (even slightly)...could cause eyes to work harder.

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Too small text is what I was thinking as well (mentioned in post #2 above). If text is smaller after the macOS upgrade (even slightly)...could cause eyes to work harder.
Yah, I saw that but figured you meant changing the UI fonts and sizes, not the resolution. Both can be done, it depends on if just the text is the problem or the UI in general being a wee small is problematic.
 

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Yah, I saw that but figured you meant changing the UI fonts and sizes, not the resolution. Both can be done, it depends on if just the text is the problem or the UI in general being a wee small is problematic.
I was thinking changing the font/text sizes via "Finder Preferences" or "System Preferences".

If you were thinking via display resolution changes...then we were suggesting different things (that sort of do the same thing).

Both methods do change font/text size...but are different in how the macOS does it.:)

Nick
 
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I thought it was the Pro Motion as well.. but found out that is only on the 16 inch Macs, and all of mine are 13 inch.

Unfortunately, it seems that others I've been suffering from the same affect and some for quite a few years, not just something new:

I don't know if there's anything in those articles to suggest a solution or not that hasn't already been mentioned here.

And I wonder if the MacOS "screen motion" that has affected many a Mac OS user in similar ways, needs to be disabled or something.

Possibly something to check out:




- Patrick
=======
 
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Thank you all so much for your responses!! Its not the font size, its something that is coming from the entire screen, like a frequency.. even if I'm not reading it has that effect, and even in a few seconds. The new font that is in Big Sur and every OS after that is defiantly finer and I would like to know how to change it, but that wouldn't solve the issue of whatever this flash/frequency is that is happening throughout the screen and is like an assault on my eyes and makes it impossible to look at. I opened the 2020 Mac for just a minute yesterday and my eyes have been messed up since.. it will take 24 hours to several days to go back to normal so there is no way to power through and use them. If I can't find a solution, I don't know how I will be able to continue to work which is very scary. Thankfully I have one job and one computer that I can work on.. for now. My other two macs I can't use, even for a minute. I did turn the screen motion off as well but that didn't solve the issue, I think the screen motion they are referring to is opening and closing pages, not the idle motion of the screen in general.. and that pro-motion feature is only on the 16 inch, and you can toggle back to 60hz vs the pro-motion.
 
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Try booting into Safe Mode to see if the problem persists that way.

Barring that, just roll back to Catalina. And if the problem persists, then you have to accept that it's either your Mac; some 3rd party software; or something going on with you. What you are experiencing simply isn't normal.
 

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This used to be a VERY common issues for CRTs back in the day. The tubes would end up refreshing at rates that were outside of the normal human eye refresh rate and it either made people see the scans happening on the monitor or made them dizzy and sick.

For those who had them, there was a 'degauss' button to try to fix the tube issues along with checking the graphics card.

With LCDs, this issue has all but gone away.

However, photosensitivity is still a thing that affects some and it can be from either rapidly flashing lights, rapid motion and/or refresh rates that are outside what's normal to you.

It is interesting that the machine would be all right for you prior to the upgrade and have issues after, but apart from checking the resolution, refresh rate, that's not much else you can do. If the issue persists, you might have to back track.

On the other machine that doesn't present this issue, what OS are you running?
 
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The Mac I have no issue with is a 2019 pro running on Catalina, 60hz refresh rate.

I have another Mac this a 2018 that I used for 3 years with Catalina with no issue until the second I upgraded to Montery, from that second on, I can't use it so it has to be something that changed with the OS upgrade and not the hardware. I have another 2020 pro that came with Monetary and now is upgraded to Ventura that I am not able to use due to this issue either.
 
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Try booting into Safe Mode to see if the problem persists that way.

Thanks for suggesting to try safe boot mode, and saved me posting the same thing.

Here's hoping things improved while in safe boot mode.




- Patrick
=======
 

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The Mac I have no issue with is a 2019 pro running on Catalina, 60hz refresh rate.

I have another Mac this a 2018 that I used for 3 years with Catalina with no issue until the second I upgraded to Montery, from that second on, I can't use it so it has to be something that changed with the OS upgrade and not the hardware. I have another 2020 pro that came with Monetary and now is upgraded to Ventura that I am not able to use due to this issue either.
Very curious indeed. I've used MBP's, Mac Mini, Mac Studio and 27" iMac on every single version of macOS since 10.5 Leopard, and apart from the varying interfaces, removal/addition of apps haven't seen any of these issues.

One thing you might want to try is have someone else in your household record your 2018 Mac or the 2020 Pro sitting on the desktop or something with their phone and show us what it looks like. I'd be curious to see if the recording picks up anything anomalous.
 

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