Lighting Tips for Less Eye Strain and Better Visibility

We are surrounded by light from everywhere on all sides. Wherever we go, there is some source of light, be it natural or man made. However, exposure to bright light in excess can cause strain to your eyes and if this is continued your vision quality might decrease.

Here are some ways you can adjust light in order to lessen eye stress and to increase your visibility:

Make adjustments in your workplace:

According to studies, it has been shown that half of people who work in front of computer screens every day suffer from eye strain. Not only the computer, but the entire lighting around your workstation may also be causing damage.

1. Reduce the brightness of interior lights. Many offices have bright, fancy interior lighting. Use of light bulbs and fluorescents should be lessened.
2. In case of the presence of a window right behind or in front of your work desk, more strain is imposed upon your eyes because of the reflections on the screen. You should change the place or use dark, thick curtains or coat the glasses with anti-reflective material in order to reduce the glare.
3. The blue light emitted from the computer causes a great amount of eye strain. You should adjust the brightness and keep it as low as possible.

Improve your home lighting:

For people who spend a lot of time at home working, adjustments should be made to the lighting in order to reduce eye strain.

1. Avoid reading in a dim light room. This can give you headaches and produce eye strain. Any kind of activity where a lot of focus is required in dim or poorly lighted environments causes damage and strain to the eyes.
2. Use desk lamps, reading lamps, under cabinet lights in the kitchen and other types of lights everywhere you work.
3. If you work in a place for more than an hour, a nearby light would make it less stressful for the eyes.

For people with low vision:

1. For people with less power of vision, proper lighting is a must. A 60-year old man would need to double the amount of light to carry out any activity which a man of 30 years would require.
2. People having disorders such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and similar vision disorders need advanced lighting and should consult a doctor for ideas on improving their home lighting.

The presence of proper lighting improves our concentration, our ability to read, and we can differentiate between colors better. Therefore, always opt for the best lighting to avoid giving stress to your eyes.