Eye strain has become one of the most common complaints in our screen-dominated era. Hours spent staring at computers, tablets, and phones leave many people with tired, dry, irritated eyes—symptoms collectively known as computer vision syndrome or digital eye strain. While screens bear much of the blame, the lighting surrounding those screens plays an equally important role.
Proper lighting can significantly reduce eye strain, whether you're working at a computer, reading a book, or engaged in detailed hobbies like crafting or model-making. Understanding how light affects your eyes and implementing appropriate lighting strategies makes a tangible difference in daily comfort.
Understanding Eye Strain
Eye strain occurs when your eyes work harder than necessary. This extra effort typically happens when lighting is too dim (forcing pupils to dilate maximally and eyes to strain to resolve detail), too bright (causing squinting and discomfort), or poorly positioned (creating glare or harsh shadows that interfere with vision).
Eye strain symptoms include tired or sore eyes, headaches, difficulty focusing, dry or watery eyes, increased sensitivity to light, and neck or shoulder pain from leaning forward to see better. These symptoms often worsen throughout the day.
Your eyes constantly adjust to different brightness levels—a process involving the iris, which controls pupil size, and the ciliary muscles, which adjust the lens for focus. When lighting conditions fluctuate significantly or require extreme adjustments, these muscles fatigue. Consistent, appropriate lighting reduces this workload.
The Goldilocks Zone: Not Too Bright, Not Too Dim
Optimal lighting for close work—reading, computing, crafting—sits in a middle range: bright enough to see clearly without straining, yet not so bright as to cause glare or discomfort. This balance depends on the specific task and individual vision, but general guidelines provide a starting point.
Recommended Light Levels
- General reading: 300-500 lux at the reading surface
- Detailed work (crafts, sewing): 500-750 lux
- Computer work: 300-500 lux ambient, with screen brightness matched to environment
- Relaxed activities: 150-300 lux
Without a light meter, achieving these levels requires some experimentation. A useful test: if you can comfortably read standard book text without squinting or leaning closer, and without feeling your eyes working hard, your lighting is probably adequate.
The brightness of your work surface relative to surrounding areas matters as much as absolute brightness. Aim for no more than a 3:1 ratio between your task area and immediate surroundings to minimise the adjustments your eyes must make when looking around.
Positioning Light Correctly
Where light comes from affects eye comfort as much as how much light there is. Light shining directly into your eyes causes immediate discomfort, while light creating reflections on your work surface or screen forces you to view through distracting glare.
For Reading and Paper Tasks
Position task lighting behind and slightly above your shoulder, directed at your reading material. This angle illuminates the page without casting shadows from your hand (right-handers should have light from the left, and vice versa) and keeps the light source out of your direct line of sight.
For Screen Work
Computer screens present different challenges. The screen itself is a light source, so surrounding lighting should complement rather than compete with it. Avoid placing lamps where they reflect on your screen—typically this means no lights directly behind you. Side lighting works well, as do monitor-mounted light bars designed specifically to illuminate your keyboard and desk without screen reflection.
Working with a window directly behind or in front of your screen creates difficult conditions. Behind you, the window creates glare on your screen. In front, you're looking at bright daylight beyond a relatively dim screen. Position screens perpendicular to windows where possible.
Choosing Eye-Friendly Lamps
Certain lamp features contribute to reduced eye strain. When selecting lamps for reading or work areas, prioritise these characteristics.
Flicker-Free Operation
All lights flicker to some degree—the electricity powering them alternates direction fifty times per second in Australia. Quality LED lamps have drivers that smooth this alternation, producing light that appears constant. Cheaper LEDs may have visible or imperceptible flicker that causes eye fatigue and headaches over extended use.
Flicker is hard to assess in-store. Look for lamps specifically marketed as "flicker-free" or "eye-care," and check reviews mentioning this issue. Filming a lamp with your phone's camera may reveal flicker as banding in the video, though this isn't a definitive test.
High CRI for True Colours
Colour Rendering Index (CRI) measures how accurately colours appear under a light source. Low-CRI lighting can make text appear slightly off-tone against paper backgrounds, potentially causing subtle perception issues that contribute to eye fatigue. For reading and detail work, seek lamps with CRI of 90 or above.
Adjustable Brightness and Temperature
Conditions change throughout the day—natural light varies, energy levels shift, and different tasks require different lighting. Lamps with adjustable brightness let you match lighting to conditions rather than accepting a fixed output that may not suit every situation.
The ideal eye-care lamp offers: flicker-free LED operation, adjustable brightness (dimming), adjustable colour temperature, high CRI (90+), and flexible positioning (swing arm or gooseneck). Several manufacturers now offer lamps specifically designed around these eye-comfort principles.
The 20-20-20 Rule and Lighting
Ophthalmologists recommend the 20-20-20 rule for screen users: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet (about 6 metres) away for 20 seconds. This practice gives your focusing muscles a break from the constant near-focus required by screens.
Proper lighting supports this practice. If your room is too dim except for your task area, there's nothing distant to look at—your eyes have nowhere restful to focus during breaks. Adequate ambient lighting ensures you can gaze across the room without straining to see in darkness.
Special Considerations for Ageing Eyes
As we age, our eyes need more light for the same tasks—a 60-year-old typically needs twice the light of a 20-year-old for equivalent visual acuity. At the same time, older eyes become more sensitive to glare. This combination requires brighter overall lighting with careful attention to diffusion and positioning.
If you're over 50, consider upgrading to brighter task lighting than you used previously, ensuring it's well-diffused rather than harsh. Frosted bulbs, lampshades, and indirect lighting become increasingly important for comfort.
Creating Eye-Friendly Lighting Habits
Beyond equipment, habits matter. Develop awareness of your lighting environment and make adjustments proactively rather than waiting for discomfort.
- Adjust for changing daylight: Increase artificial lighting as natural light fades rather than gradually straining in dimness
- Match screen brightness to surroundings: Your monitor shouldn't be the brightest thing in the room—dim it if your environment is subdued
- Clean your lights and screens: Dust and smudges reduce effective brightness and can create distracting artifacts
- Schedule eye breaks: Use timers or apps to remind you to look away from close work periodically
Eye strain is largely preventable with thoughtful lighting choices and habits. While we can't eliminate screen time from modern life, we can create environments that support visual comfort. Your eyes work hard for you—proper lighting helps them do so without unnecessary strain.