The FYI Series is intended to discuss popular topics and to show the topics as FACT or FICTION.
A popular area that is often overlooked is the Importance of proper lighting & contrast. That is, reading a document (black text on white background) vs newspaper (black text on a gray background) vs restaurant (low lighting).
Proper lighting is crucial not only for people with normal 20/20 vision, but also for people with visual difficulties (glaucoma, macula degeneration dystrophies, retina conditions, keratoconus, albinism and more). As our eyes require light to see, too little light will make our retina photoreceptors, and thus our eyes struggle more. This is the reason we have more trouble seeing in the dark!
We have noticed clinically that, using proper lighting can help you read 1 – 2 line smaller than you would without!
Contrast can make a large difference in how we see. Digital print is often black text on white background, while traditional print (books, cardboard, phonebooks, the bible) are black text on gray background. This is why it is important to let your eye care provider know, which type of material you use in your daily lives so your eye exam can be geared towards your individual needs.
FACT or FICTION – Reading in the dark or without enough light, can worsen your vision?
FICTION – Although reading in the dark will not cause permanent damage to your eyes, short term problems, of eye fatigue, strain and headaches can occur. This is the same whether using a flash light to read a paperback book, an e-reader or on a tablet!
Follow these tips to Reduce Eye Strain
- Set the lighting of your room to the same brightness as your screen.
- Use larger text when available.
- Remember the 20/20/20 Rule => For every 20 minutes of near work, look at something 20 feet away from 20 seconds.
- Bright overhead lights such as Fluorescents can contribute to migraines.
- Use task lighting. That is, use a reading lamp to increase the brightness of your traditional printed materials.
- Remember to replace batteries for LED lights, as they will become dimmer over time.
- Use high good quality lenses with blue light protection.
- Make sure to have at least a Yearly Eye Exam to rule out eye conditions or eye diseases as they often do not have any symptoms.
Check out our Meet the Doctors page. Both Drs. Anthony Huynh & Anh Do provide care to central florida patients. Dr. Anthony provides care for keratoconus patients with scleral contact lenses, and low vision rehabilitation for retina, macula and optic nerve patients. Dr. Anh provides myopia control for pediatric and adult patients in the form of Orthokeratology eye retainers and atropine eye drops.
Top image by Unsplash user Hans Isaccson used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original. The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
