Context aware backlighting techniques include determining a focal point of a display space based on a user display context. The user display context represents an area of interest on the monitor. The user display context can be based on eye tracking data, ambient light data, motion sensing data, cursor location in the display space, an image content, proximity data, or the like and any combination thereof. A first set of one or more of a plurality of backlight sections corresponding to the determined focal point of the display space can be driven to output at a first intensity level, while a second set of one or more of the plurality of backlight sections can be driven to output at a second intensity level.