Effects of screen size and visual presentation on visual fatigue based on regional brain wave activity

Advances in information technologies have resulted in people spending increasing amounts of time staring at electronic screens. Long-term use of computers, mobile phones, and tablets can cause eye soreness and fatigue, but can also cause more serious conditions including myopia, cataracts, and glaucoma. This study assesses changes in brain wave activity detected by eight electrodes targeting different brain regions to identify and assess the brain wave patterns in the regions associated with visual fatigue under various visual presentation methods. Furthermore, linear discriminant analysis and Min–Max scaling techniques are applied to develop a visual fatigue assessment model to quantify visual fatigue. Finally, experiments are run to assess the impact of screen size (smartphone, tablet, computer) and visual presentation mode (2D, 3D, AR, VR) on visual fatigue. This study finds that (1) the brain wave features which influence the reaction to 2D and 3D imaging are the delta and theta waves at the prefrontal Fp1 and Fp2 poles. When viewing AR images, the alpha bands at the O1 and O2 poles of the occipital lobe show a relatively clear impact, while the delta and theta waves at the C3 pole in the left center area are associated with VR images; (2) larger screens cause greater visual fatigue, indicating that excessive visual stimulation will increase visual loading and thus produce greater visual fatigue; (3) the results show that VR can cause quite severe visual fatigue, along with motion sickness passed on sensory mismatch. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid viewing experiences that are inconsistent with the brain’s physiological experience, such as walking while viewing a mobile phone, or reading in a moving car. The proposed visual fatigue assessment model provides easy and objective quantification of visual fatigue indicators, contributing to the reduction of risk for eye injury and disease.