White text on black: when it’s a no-no.

Good to know
When I come across a page of white text on a black background, I know, from experience, that in under a minute, I’ll give up reading and move onto other content that I find easier on the eye. However interested I am in the subject matter, if content is uncomfortable to read, I’ll move on. I wanted to understand why this was, so I did a bit of research… What I discovered is this: white text on a black background is uncomfortable for people with astigmatism to read. It’s estimated that almost 50% of the UK population have some degree of astigmatism. This means that there are a lot of people out there who may find white text on black uncomfortable to read. For this reason, I tend not to place a chunk of white text on a black background. Even if the text looks striking to you, it’s worth knowing that many people - possibly your target audience - may find it hard to read. Hard to read translates into losing the attention of the reader.

Alternatives
White or almost-white text set on a charcoal coloured background is apparently much easier on the eye. You still get a striking contrast & it can look really polished & considered.

Further reading
https://gizmodo.com/the-surprising-reason-computer-screens-arent-green-on-b-1643025374