Fellowes Standard Glare Filter Traditional Tint - display screen filter - 13" - 15"

...screen and onto your eyes. Fellowes have designed a multi layer optical coating that helps eliminate glare. This particular model (48109) is the 'Standard Glare filter' and comes with a 'Traditional Tint' which cuts down glare. It also reduces the brightness of the screen, a bit like Sunglasses for your computer. Fellowes say that this helps 'increase contrast between the background and images for easier viewing'. All this helps reduce eye strain ...
...From what I can tell Fellowes have quite a good name in PC accessories, and my mum was recommended them when she bought these screens.

However, they are quite difficult to put on for the first time... I think it takes a bit of practise to get used to taking these off and putting them on your computer.

Also, if you are used to getting a full screen to look at, the parts of the computer screen covered by the plastic outer ... more

I suppose nearly everybody has heard of eye strain, especially with so many people using computers in their everyday life, for hours on end at home and at work. My mum used computers for her job and has always done her uttermost to save me from eye strain... the headaches, blurred vision and physical fatigue that are associated with sustained use of computers. This was sometimes annoying at times, but I know that her reasons were justified as statistics have shown that over 50% of computer users suffer from eye-strain at some point.

WHAT A GLARE FILTER DOES:
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'Fellowes Glare Filter' is another type of anti-glare screen designed to reduce eye strain. If you cannot afford special overhead ceiling lights that cut down glare (unsightly in your living room I know), this is the next best thing. I believe glare is the light from lamps or windows that reflects off the screen and onto your eyes. Fellowes have designed a multi layer optical coating that helps eliminate glare. This particular model (48109) is the 'Standard Glare filter' and comes with a 'Traditional Tint' which cuts down glare. It also reduces the brightness of the screen, a bit like Sunglasses for your computer. Fellowes say that this helps 'increase contrast between the background and images for easier viewing'. All this helps reduce eye strain as the muscles that focus your eye near-by aren't having to work as hard.

I was surprised just how effective this was when I removed the screen after using it for a few weeks. The computer monitor without the screen was incredibly bright and made my eyes water in a matter of minutes. It is possible to turn down the brightness setting of the monitor to compensate, but the effect isn't as good.

THE SCREEN:
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The glare filter is a plastic-rimmed tinted-glass screen, that is suitable for computer monitors of between 13 and 15 inches. Other screens are available for monitors of different sizes. This screen used to be on my old traditional monitor, but we have since bought a flat screen monitor (again to reduce eye strain) but it fits that too.

The screen is advertised on the packaging as being an 'Easy to install universal frame'. However, the first time I put this screen on it was far from easy. It's amazing how fiddley these little plastic pieces were... they are 'L' shaped corner pieces, the flat edge resting on the top of the monitor and the downward piece having several 'holes' that you insert the screen into, depending on how low you want the screen to be.

These peices are separate so it can be quite a problem to get both left and right corner pieces on at the same time (keeping in mind the fact that you must have got the right one on each corner to begin with). To make it easier my mum actually sellotaped the corner pieces to the screen at the right height in the end... much better. For further security, self-adhesive velcro pads are provided, one peice going on the corner piece, the other on your computer monitor so the screen sort of sticks to your computer. Great, but unsightly as your monitor has pieces of velcro stuck to it when you remove the screen.

PROS AND CONS:
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This screen is great for reducing eye strain and really lowers the brightness of the screen. It is quite light to carry round. My mum in her quest for continuing the health of my eyes, often made me carry this screen with me to town to use the computers there. I carried it in the box it originally came with where it is surrounded in polystyrene packaging.

The screen has quite good durability and quality. My mum bought several of these screens, and only one did we have to send back because it had a scratch on the glass from the shop it was bought at (a long return trip to PC World if I remember correctly).

From what I can tell Fellowes have quite a good name in PC accessories, and my mum was recommended them when she bought these screens.

However, they are quite difficult to put on for the first time... I think it takes a bit of practise to get used to taking these off and putting them on your computer.

Also, if you are used to getting a full screen to look at, the parts of the computer screen covered by the plastic outer rim of the glare filter are sometimes difficult to see. I think it took a further adjustment as we were unable to see the Start menu and the bottom tool bar. However, now we've finally got it adjusted right it hasn't been a problem.

WHERE TO BUY:
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I had a quick look around the internet, including the PC World website, but wasn't able to find this screen. I think it is quite an old model, my mum having bought it quite a few years ago now. The Fellowes website had some later models on display, but not this one, making me think that it isn't produced any more. There are some better, (and better-looking) adaptations available now from what I saw when browsing.

PRICE:
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I believe when my mum bought this screen originally it was priced at around £15 from PC World. However, I did a search on eBay and glare filters such as this seem to be selling for around £6, quite a bargain for such a useful piece of computer equipment. However, since my mum's experience with the scratched glass it is good to get one of these from a shop where you know you can send it back if necessary. This particular filter came with a lifetime limited warranty.

CONCLUSION:
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All in all, I'd say that this screen is an almost invaluable piece of equipment. It hasn't done my eyes any harm... in fact I think it's done them a big favour. It's so invaluable that most of the time I don't even realise it's there. This, in addition to taking regular breaks and looking from the near-distance around the room, is a brilliant way to reduce eye strain, especially when sitting in front of a computer every day, as many of us inevitably are. Even though it may look a bit ugly and cumbersome you tend to forget it's there. But for those people who want their computer to remain looking 'cool' perhaps glasses aren't the thing, not even tinted shades.
 

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