Monitor Glare: How to Position Your Screen and Lights
Desk checklist
| Setting | Aim for | Quick check |
|---|---|---|
| Screen position relative to light | Place your monitor at a right angle to the main light source, such as a window. Avoid having a window directly in front of or behind you. | Hold a small mirror flat against your screen. If you can clearly see a bright window or overhead light in the reflection, you need to reposition your screen or block the light. |
| Overhead lighting | Avoid working directly under bright, unshielded overhead lights. If possible, use indirect lighting or turn off the lights directly above your workstation. | Look at your dark or turned-off screen. Can you see the reflection of ceiling lights on it? If so, they are a potential source of glare. |
| Monitor brightness | Adjust your screen’s brightness so it is similar to the light level in the room around you. A screen that is much brighter than its surroundings can act like a light source and cause strain. | Open a document with a white background. Hold a piece of white paper next to your monitor. The screen’s brightness should be about the same as the paper’s. |
| Monitor tilt | Tilt the top of the screen slightly forward, by a few degrees. This can help angle reflections from overhead lights away from your eyes. | While seated, slowly tilt your monitor forward and back. Watch the reflections on the screen and stop at the angle where they are least visible. |
| Screen surface | Use a monitor with a matte finish, which diffuses light. If your screen is glossy, you can add an anti-glare screen filter. | Turn your monitor off. Is the surface highly reflective like a mirror (glossy) or does it look dull and non-reflective (matte)? |
| Window coverings | Use blinds, curtains, or shades to control the amount of natural light entering the room, especially during the brightest times of the day. | Look at the windows in your room. Are you able to easily adjust the coverings to reduce intense sunlight? |
Screen glare happens when light reflects off your computer monitor and into your eyes. This common issue for desk workers can lead to eye strain, fatigue, and headaches.
You can manage glare by controlling the light sources in your room and making simple adjustments to your screen and workstation setup.
Position Your Workstation to Control Light
The best way to reduce glare is to control the light around you. Your monitor should be at a right angle to the main light source, like a window. Avoid setting up your desk where a window is directly in front of you or behind your screen, as this can create intense contrast and cause you to squint.
You can check for reflections by holding a small mirror against your screen. If you see a bright light source, you need to move your monitor or block the light. Using blinds or curtains to manage sunlight is a simple fix. Also, try to avoid working directly under bright overhead lights. If you can see ceiling lights reflected on your dark screen, consider turning them off and using a desk lamp for your tasks instead.
Adjust Your Monitor for Better Viewing
Your monitor settings can make a significant difference. Adjust the screen’s brightness to match the light level in your room. To check this, hold a piece of white paper next to a document with a white background on your screen; the two should look about the same. Using a monitor at maximum brightness in a dim room can cause strain.
Tilting the top of your screen slightly forward by a few degrees can also angle reflections from overhead lights away from your eyes. If you have a glossy screen that acts like a mirror, adding an anti-glare screen filter can help diffuse light. Keep in mind that a filter may slightly reduce the sharpness of your screen.
What Glare Reduction Can and Cannot Do
Making these adjustments can help with discomfort caused by reflections, but it is not a complete solution for all ergonomic issues. Reducing glare does not eliminate other causes of eye strain, such as focusing at a fixed distance for long periods, and it will not correct underlying vision problems.
It is also important not to use an awkward posture to avoid reflections, as this can lead to neck or back pain. These changes are meant to improve your visual comfort but cannot fix issues like poor chair support or an incorrect desk height.
Common mistakes
- Placing the desk so a window is directly behind the screen, creating intense contrast.
- Facing a window, which causes you to squint and strains your eyes.
- Using a monitor with maximum brightness in a dimly lit room.
- Trying to overcome glare by changing your posture instead of changing the environment.
- Forgetting to clean the screen, as dust and smudges can worsen glare.
Low-cost fixes
- Rotate your desk or monitor 90 degrees to the nearest window.
- Close blinds or curtains during peak sun hours.
- Adjust your monitor’s brightness and contrast settings.
- Tilt your screen slightly downward.
- Use a desk lamp for task lighting and turn off problematic overhead lights.
What it will not do
- Reducing glare does not eliminate all causes of eye strain, such as focusing at a fixed distance for long periods.
- It will not correct underlying vision problems.
- It cannot fix ergonomic issues unrelated to vision, such as poor chair support or incorrect desk height.
- An anti-glare filter can sometimes slightly reduce screen sharpness or clarity.
Quick questions
How can I quickly check for screen glare?
Hold a small mirror flat against your monitor. If you can clearly see a bright window or overhead light in the reflection, you have a glare source that needs to be managed.
What is the best position for my monitor relative to a window?
Place your monitor at a right angle to the window. You should not have the window directly in front of you or directly behind your screen.
My monitor has a glossy screen. What can I do?
If your screen is highly reflective like a mirror, you can add an anti-glare screen filter to help diffuse the light.
When to see a doctor or physio
If you continue to experience frequent headaches, eye strain, or blurred vision after making adjustments, it may be time to see a doctor. You should also seek a professional opinion if you have to hold an awkward posture to avoid glare, or if your vision has changed.
- You continue to experience frequent headaches, eye strain, blurred vision, or dry eyes after making adjustments.
- You must adopt an awkward posture to avoid glare, which causes neck, shoulder, or back pain.
- You are unable to control the lighting in your work environment and it is causing persistent discomfort.
- Your vision has changed, or you have not had a recent eye examination.
How this page was put together: general guidance consistent with public workstation and movement-break resources from OSHA, CDC/NIOSH and the NHS, and with standard exercise handouts. It was drafted with AI assistance, checked in a separate review pass and edited under our editorial policy. It is not medical advice and no clinician reviewed it. Last checked October 2026.