A display that contains a backlight that incorporates an optical coating either on or above the light guide in order to reduce the appearance of optical hotspots on the display is provided. The optical coating can be patterned to correspond to the position of each light emitting diode in the display and can be made, as an example, from either reflective, diffusive or dichroic material. The coating can work to overcome the hotspots created by insufficient light mixing distance in the backlight.