The most secure font for sight is Verdana, 10-12 pixels in size
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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The most secure font for sight is Verdana, 10-12 points in size. This conclusion was reached by American scientists, having conducted a study funded by the customer of this font.
Specialists of Laboratory Ergonomics vision (Vision Ergonomics Research Laboratory) are advised to use a particular computer font - Verdana. At the same time, the most convenient size for reading is 10-12 points.
During the research, scientists determined that this font is the most "readable", since when working with texts typed in Verdana font, eye muscles experience the least stress. Experts explain this by the absence of "serif" in the characters of the font.
Head of Research, Dr. Jim Sheedy (Jim Sheedy) notes that if the font size is two to three times less than the threshold, then the eyes are forced to strongly consider the text. And this leads to eye fatigue and even to the development of "computer vision syndrome". His symptoms are fatigue, pain and a burning sensation in the eyes, frequent headaches, reddening of the proteins, increased tearing, a feeling of discomfort when wearing contact lenses. According to Shidi, VHCs suffer more than 50% of Americans.
At the same time, physicians consider any computer monitors, including liquid crystal ones, harmful to the eyes. Their harmful effects are manifested in the fact that, while working at a computer, a person blinks less often.
To reduce the brightness or to see the fine details of the image more clearly, the user usually squints, and the more he squints, the less blinks. Scientists have found that with the most intensive work, the blink frequency is four times less than the eye-blink frequency. In the insufficiently moistened eyes there is a feeling of dryness or "sand".
Doctors recommend working at a computer, do not forget to blink or use artificial tears more often.
The Verdana font was developed in 1996 by the artist Matthew Carter for Microsoft, which, by the way, financed the study.