And it may not have anything to do with monitor settings. I had the same problem at home. Images were too dark to really make out. I realized over the years I'd cranked the brightness level all the way up.

Then I bought a new monitor. Oh boy the difference! And it wasn't just that monitor. When I married last year, my husband brought his old 486 machine & 15" monitor. It was worse than mine. I guess as a monitor gets older, it looses its ability to get brighter. Now he has a spiffy new computer (and I'm jealous) with a new monitor that has no problem with images when set at a medium brightness.

So it may not be JUST the settings of your monitor... it may also be it's age.