ADHD: A Parenting Guide

Six Things You Can Do To Improve Lighting To Benefit Eye Health

Over time, the environment in which you're working can have a significant impact on the condition of your eyes. When it comes to reducing eye strain and the resulting negative impact it has on your eye health, lighting around your home and office is a consideration of primary importance.

You can keep yourself more comfortable when you're accomplishing everyday tasks and reduce your risk of conditions like macular degeneration and cataracts by improving the lighting situation at your home and office in the following six ways:

Avoid excessively bright lighting

Many of us have a habit of turning up lights as bright as possible while working because we subconsciously believes it facilitates work and makes us more productive. However, you need to be aware of your comfort while you're working.

Interior lighting from light bulbs and fluorescent tubes can cause discomfort and eye strain if it is constantly present during the work day. Aim for a work environment with relatively low ambient lighting. 

Don't keep your computer screen excessively bright

Workers are especially sensitive to the lighting of their computer screens because they're typically looking into their computer screens all day. 

Keep your computer at a moderate brightness setting. If you have trouble seeing some text, try zooming in rather than brightening up the screen to render text more visible. 

Don't work right in front or behind of an open window

Remember that eye strain can just as easily be caused by natural sunlight as it can be caused by artificial or computer screen lighting. If you're working directly in front or behind a window, use blinds to prevent glare from the sunlight.

Use LCD displays whenever possible

If you're working on an older computer, you might have a tube-style or cathode ray tube monitor. This type of monitor creates a screen display that's harder on the eyes. On the other hand, a LCD display features an antireflective surface that reduces glare and also prevents "flickering" of images that frequently causes eye strain in older monitors.

Use task lighting when possible instead of overhead lighting

Task lighting is placed right on the level of where you're working. Task lighting includes desk lamps, table lamps, and lighting apparatuses placed right under cabinets. 

Overhead lighting can result in harsh shadows that cast your work in darkness while task lighting puts a light source right where it's needed. 

Rest your eyes occasionally when working at the office or at home

Perhaps you tend to become so absorbed in your work that it becomes hard to look away from your screen. 

Avoid eye strain, headaches, and increased risk of long term eye problems by taking the time to occasionally rest your eyes and look away from your computer screen. For more tips, contact a company like Tri State Ophthalmology.


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