A field emission display (200) comprises a plurality of row lines (230), a plurality of column lines (250), and a pluraliy of electron emissive elements (40) disposed at intersections of the plurality of row lines (230) and column lines (250), a column driver circuit (240) and a row driver circuit (220). The coumn driver circuit (240) is coupled to drive column voltage signals over the plurality of column lines (250); and the row driver circuit (220) is coupled to activate and deactivate the plurality of row lines (230) with row voltage signals. Operation life of the field emission display is extended when the electron emissive elements are intermittently reverse-biased by the column voltage signals and the row voltage signals.