Thank you for consulting EyeCareUSA.
We hope that we can answer your questions to help you in the care of your eyes.
This page is not intended to subsitute for visits to your eye care specialist, but merely serves as a complementary service. If you have any unanswered questions after reading this material, please call your ophthalmologist.
EFFECTS OF LIGHTING ON YOUR EYES. The effect of lighting on your eyes is a topic of great interest to many parents who are constantly telling their children not to read in poor light and how to adjust the lamp at their desk for optimal study. Children are often warned that watching too much TV and sitting too close to the TV, can cause permanent damage to their eyes. However, there is no evidence that poor lighting conditions, watching too much TV or sitting too near the TV have any long-term detrimental effects on the eyes. Even working on a computer terminal the whole day has no permanent ill-effect on the eye.
It is true that the eyes may feel strained after doing any of the above activities, but this is relieved by resting the eyes. No evidence of any permanent damage following these activities has ever been reported.
This implies then that one could adjust the light in any manner you wish which gives you most eye comfort and least strain.There are some pointers which apply to most people: Light coming over the shoulder from behind usually gives most comfort and good illumination.
Various colors of light-bulbs have been tried and tested but it still remains a personal choice, as no-one has proven any one color to be better than the rest in all cases.
Try to avoid flickering light sources such as neon lights as they may cause excessive eyestrain.
Remember to protect your eyes at all times when confronted by bright light such as the sun or when welding. Never weld without protection as this can result in thermal burn wounds of the cornea which can be quite painful.
Onlookers should also wear protection or be warned to look away.An important point to mention is that some individuals see very poorly in dim light. Now, it is true that we all see less sharply in dim light, but these individuals see even worse. This is something which people refer to as night blindness and is something which must be investigated as it could be due to a serious problem such as retinitis pigmentosa or glaucoma.
Remember always to see your doctor or eye care practitioner if you have persistent symptoms of glare or light sensitivity, or if new, unfamiliar symptoms present themselves.If you have any further questions regarding Light and your eyes, please consult your eye specialist.