When comparing Zenburn vs Leuven, the Slant community recommends Zenburn for most people. In the question“What are the best color themes for text editors?” Zenburn is ranked 11th while Leuven is ranked 22nd.
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Exceptionally easy for your eyes
Pro A battle-tested solution backed by decades of happy use
Pro Low contrast color theme
The low contrast will reduce eyestrain.
Pro Ported to a lot of apps and software
Pro Helpful for people with astigmatism
People with astigmatism prefer the bright white background since the extra light causes your pupils to contract, which makes your focus sharper.
Pro Helpful for people with deuteranomaly
Leuven is a high-contrast theme preferring blue hues to red ones which makes it easier for people with deuteranomaly (most common form of red-green blindness) to distinguish different syntactical elements.
Cons
Con Quite low in contrast
While the low contrast reduces eye strain, some people may prefer the added legibility of a higher contrast.
Con May cause eye strain
People with blue-light sensitivity may prefer a dark theme.