block radiation from the monitor?

[heymrdj]

My mom has dermatomyositis, a disease that affects the connective tissue. As an aside it also makes her skin very sensitive, as does the medicine she has to take for it. She can hardly go out in the sun. I need a recommendation on a radiation blocker I can mount to her laptop. The laptop is a approx 2 year old Dell Vostro 1500. Any good recommendations? Cost isn't really an issue, we just need something that will work for her. She can hardly sit in front of the laptop more than 20 minutes now.

 

[mpilchfamily]

The monitor isn't going to be radiating anything but light. If it where a CRT there may be an issue. If her skin is sensitive then it may be the heat coming off the laptop. How is she in front of a regular PC with an LCD monitor? Seams her sensitivity if from radiant heat. I'm guessing she feels like she has a constant sunburn.

 

[Swivelguy2]

You can block all of the radiation coming from a monitor with a 1" thick lead plate.

 

[heymrdj]

The monitor isn't going to be radiating anything but light. If it where a CRT there may be an issue. If her skin is sensitive then it may be the heat coming off the laptop. How is she in front of a regular PC with an LCD monitor? Seams her sensitivity if from radiant heat. I'm guessing she feels like she has a constant sunburn.

She reacts the same way in front of our desktop CRT and LCD monitor. Whether or not the laptop is on a table or in her lap on a pillow on a cooling pad, she still reacts. I'm guessing the only way to block the heat would also completely block the light even if i turned it up to 100% brightness

 

[heymrdj]

You can block all of the radiation coming from a monitor with a 1" thick lead plate.

I'm being fairly serious here. Her freedoms are pretty much gone, she's hardly able to enjoy anything that she used to enjoy. The computer is one way she can talk to her sons, watch cnn news, play games ect rather than stare at the tv or window. I'd really like to find a way to keep this last bastion of entertainment for her alive.

 

[mpilchfamily]

Yep there isn't much you can do for her on this. All light will generate some heat and if she is that sensitive then you may not have many options.

One thing you could try is a polarized lens over the screen. Like one of those privacy screens for monitors. That should reduce the amount of light reaching here. More specifically it will reduce the intecity of the light possibly reducing the amount of radiant heat from the screen.

 

[RebateMonger]

Can she watch TV without discomfort? If so, you could hook the laptop to a (digital) TV and use that. That'd allow her to sit back a ways.

I've never heard of radiation issues with LCD monitors. I couldn't find any reference to the problem on the Internet. I did see a company that provides "radiation blockers" for LCD monitors for $500-plus.

Has she asked her doctor about this problem? It sounds like the problem may be related things other than the traditional "radiation" that CRT monitors were famous for.

Yeah, the fluorescent back lighting of LCDs can apparently put out UV. It's got to be awfully low, though. I spend a LOT of hours in front of dual monitors and have no sign of a tan.

It's also possible that the new "organic LED" flat panels MIGHT solve the problem, since they don't use fluorescent back lights.

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/...9854&langId=-1

 

[heymrdj]

Can she watch TV without discomfort? If so, you could hook the laptop to a (digital) TV and use that.

I've never heard of radiation issues with LCD monitors. I couldn't find any reference to the problem on the Internet. I did see a company that provides "radiation blockers" for LCD monitors for $500-plus.

Has she asked her doctor about this problem? It sounds like the problem may be related things other than the traditional "radiation" that CRT monitors were famous for.

She can watch the tv, but they have a 36" CRT. The resolution just isn't any good for reading text without tremendous eye strain, not to mention the tv is well over 14' away.

The Dr. said it was heat (infrared as mentioned). That's what I was seeing if I could change, but I don't see how either. Apparently LED laptops help fix this issue (if it's anything like mine, my monitor while gaming gets extremely hot to the touch, about on the order of 35-40C.)

 

[RebateMonger]

If it's heat (infrared), that might mean a different solution than UV or higher frequency radiation.

Do you know if the problem is heat from the laptop's screen, or is it from the laptop itself?

 

[heymrdj]

If it's heat (infrared), that might mean a different solution than UV or higher frequency radiation.

Do you know if the problem is heat from the laptop's screen, or is it from the laptop itself?

Definitely from the screen, as she can sit in a warm room without an issue. She can also leave the laptop closed running in her lap without an issue. Definitely some kind of output from the laptop screen causing it.

 

[Swivelguy2]

Ok, I'll be completely serious as well. You could try an ITO-coated glass pane. That's what they use for making energy efficient windows that leak little heat.

 

[gsaldivar]

I would get a roll of the tinting film they sell at auto parts stores to keep UV light out of your car. I think it's available in clear or super light tint, see it this helps?

Good luck!

 

[CurseTheSky]

It's a long shot, but what about a projector + wireless keyboard and mouse? She'd lose the portability of the laptop, but hopefully be able to gain the ability to use it for a substantial amount of time.

 

[ChaiBabbaChai]

It's a long shot, but what about a projector + wireless keyboard and mouse? She'd lose the portability of the laptop, but hopefully be able to gain the ability to use it for a substantial amount of time.

^^ That's kind of what I was thinking, except I was imagining a metal sniper's bunker (a wall with a short and wide slot just for her eyes to see the 52" (so she's far, far away from the computer hardware) monitor and a keyboard/mouse with wires ran past the radiation barricade

By the way, how do you know it's not the sun light in the room with the computer(s). It's probably possible computer hardware gives off radiation other than from the monitor, but I can't say what kind or how much of it. What happens when she stands near an oven on 400 F?

 

[corkyg]

Consider an external LCD with LED backlighting that can be positioned 3 or more feet away from her. Then the laptop screen can be off. BTW, when the laptop is on with the lid closed, it generates even more heat. Part of the cooling is through the keyboard. Another alternative is web TV, Projection is also a solution. The idea is to separate her face from the display by as much distance as practicable. In general, the larger the display, the farther away it can be.

 

[piasabird]

Maybe adjusting the display to be dimmer. I wonder if you could put some kind of anti glare film on it? You know like they put on windows to help block sunlight. Why not just wear gloves and a long shirt?

I could not help it, I just imagined wearing a berka with a veil.

 

[Colt45]

Yeah, the fluorescent back lighting of LCDs can apparently put out UV. It's got to be awfully low, though. I spend a LOT of hours in front of dual monitors and have no sign of a tan.

std. glass blocks UV. Only thing getting out is visible light.


Sounds like a mental issue to me. Or do you not have any lights in the house?

 

[Fayd]

i can't imagine it being infared.

if it's UV, you could buy conservation glass that blocks 99% of UV light transmitted... placing that in front of the screen may work.

honestly, i've never heard of anything like your mother's condition before.

 

[heymrdj]

i can't imagine it being infared.

if it's UV, you could buy conservation glass that blocks 99% of UV light transmitted... placing that in front of the screen may work.

honestly, i've never heard of anything like your mother's condition before.

It's certainly not in her head, otherwise she wouldn't be sensitive to sunlight. There has to be a connection between the monitor (which she claims makes her face feel warm after about 30 minutes on it) and sunlight.

As for her condition: https://health.google.com/health/ref/Dermatomyositis

From Wikipedia:

Skin findings occur in DM but not PM and are generally present at diagnosis. Gottron's sign is an erythematous, scaly eruption occurring in symmetric fashion over the MCP and interphalangeal joints (can mimic psoriasis). Heliotrope or "lilac" rash [4] is a violaceous eruption on the upper eyelids, often with swelling (most specific, though uncommon). Shawl (or V-) sign is a diffuse, flat, erythematous lesion over the chest and shoulders or in a "V" over the anterior neck and chest, worsened with UV light. Erythroderma is a flat, erythematous lesion similar to the shawl sign but located in other areas, such as the malar region and the forehead. Periungual telangiectasias and erythema occur.

 

[oynaz]

"She can watch the tv, but they have a 36" CRT. The resolution just isn't any good for reading text without tremendous eye strain, not to mention the tv is well over 14' away."

My advice is to buy a bigger TV. It will certainly be cheaper than to shield the laptop somehow. Especially as "radiation" is a very poorly defined term.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Perhaps shes also "Electrosensitive"? In that case, anything electronic near her would affect her.

 

[heymrdj]

"She can watch the tv, but they have a 36" CRT. The resolution just isn't any good for reading text without tremendous eye strain, not to mention the tv is well over 14' away."

My advice is to buy a bigger TV. It will certainly be cheaper than to shield the laptop somehow. Especially as "radiation" is a very poorly defined term.

They live on SS, that's not a very easy thing to do. Not to mention I'm still not sure how easily she could read text on a screen. I used my laptop via HDMI on my room mates 56" Sony Bravia LCD tv and while I could write code on it and stuff sitting about 7' away, I would still have to squint a bit to read these web pages, and her eyesight is many many times worse than mine. It'd be really nice if she could just use the laptop as it was meant to be used.

Perhaps shes also "Electrosensitive"? In that case, anything electronic near her would affect her.

Radiation is any energy in the form of a wave, in this case only certain waves trigger the outbreaks. As for being electrosensitive, I'm not sure. She can have headphones, cordless phones, cell phones, even microwaves around her without any issue. The problem seems to be heat and high intensity light radiation, along with CRT monitors (which could go back to heat). She can be 6' away from them and have no trouble, but something about that laptop can make her face as red as a tomato.

I've learned alot now about the radiation, and I see that I was wrong about UV coming out of a laptop. So I guess for now it's going to be more research. There's some forums out there just for the disease, so maybe if I hit up some of those I can find something that worked for someone else.

Thanks everyone .

 

[Littlefoot99]

How about leaving the Laptop on a table, And using an external mouse and keyboard.

If that wont work leaving the laptop on a desk with the external mouse an keyboard - What about getting a larger LCD monitor - Place the laptop far enough away from everything. The LCD monitor if big enough can be placed 3-4' away and wouldnt have any eye strain or any heat problems..

 

[oynaz]

Perhaps shes also "Electrosensitive"? In that case, anything electronic near her would affect her.

"Electrosensitive?" Does that condition even exist?

 

[heymrdj]

How about leaving the Laptop on a table, And using an external mouse and keyboard.

If that wont work leaving the laptop on a desk with the external mouse an keyboard - What about getting a larger LCD monitor - Place the laptop far enough away from everything. The LCD monitor if big enough can be placed 3-4' away and wouldnt have any eye strain or any heat problems..

She has to be able to use this in hre recliner, hence the reason for the laptop. Her recliner is a power lift chair. Due to the deterioration in her muscles from the disease she has issues getting out of the other chairs.