synskomfort

Synskomfort is a concept used to describe the overall perceived ease, clarity, and pleasantness of the visual experience in a given environment or on a display. It encompasses ocular comfort—reduced strain, dryness, and fatigue—and subjective satisfaction with how visuals appear. In design, architecture, and human–computer interaction, synskomfort is treated as a holistic goal for optimizing how people see and interpret information.

The term appears in Scandinavian-language design and ergonomics literature and is not widely standardized in international ophthalmology or human factors guidelines. In practice, synskomfort refers to reducing visual stress while maintaining legibility and perceptual quality. Key components typically cited include glare control, appropriate luminance balance, accurate color rendering, and stable, low flicker, all aligned with task requirements and viewing conditions.

Factors that influence synskomfort include luminance range and contrast, screen reflectance, ambient lighting, font size and spacing, viewing distance, and the duration of viewing. Cognitive aspects such as task complexity and sustained attention can also affect perceived comfort, since mental load interacts with visual strain.

Measurement and assessment usually combine subjective and objective methods. Questionnaires and Likert-scale ratings gather user perceptions of comfort and strain, while objective indicators include luminance uniformity, glare indices, flicker metrics, contrast ratios, and color temperature. These assessments inform design choices in workplaces, consumer electronics, and media production to maintain high levels of visual comfort.

See also: visual comfort; ocular ergonomics; glare; luminance; color rendering.