oudeis on 2/11/2009 at 07:35
Does anybody know anything about the best type of illumination for reading? I switched to full-spectrum lightbulbs many years ago after reading that standard incandescent lights were actually bad for tasks requiring long-term near-field focus, but I've reached the point where I won't even attempt to read under them due to extreme eye wonkiness. I thought it was the particular bulbs I was using but after exhaustive (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full-spectrum_light) research I was able to find a chart comparing the color spectra of various products, none of which really seemed to have much resemblance to daylight. This is of course ancillary to the real point of the article, which is that there is no demonstrated benefit to FS lighting.
I don't know what's causing this problem. Perhaps I'm just reaching the age where color perception begins to noticeably degrade. Whatever it is, I need new lights. I refuse to switch to compact fluorescents because I fucking can't stand the hue. Is halogen lighting any good? Back when the halogen torchiere was popular there were a lot of articles stating that the illumination was even worse than incadescents for reading, but in my recent searches I've come across a number of sites extolling the virtues of halogen lighting. I'm trying to find a good site to research this but I haven't had any luck yet, so I'm hoping someone here can
help me see the light point me in the right direction.
Muzman on 2/11/2009 at 09:27
I've only really heard that, when it comes to long term near focus, the real concern with light is not colour but getting as much as possible.
OK if you're doing embroidery or something and your light is making it hard to differentiate some threads you're going to go cross eyed faster. The key thing is always said to be regular breaks and/or focal eye exercises.
I don't really understand the problem though. What's the matter? What are you reading and what are you reading it on? And why do you think colour is the deciding factor?
I don't think Halogen lamps have a vastly different spectrum from regular incandescents at any rate. A bit stronger in the blue end but that's about it (also hotter, brighter and more expensive)
heywood on 2/11/2009 at 21:04
I also get eye fatigue quicker under fluorescent lights, full spectrum or not.
I have one of these (
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00128782) IKEA reading lamps behind my reading chair and I find it to be very comfortable for reading, as long as the room is not too dark. This lamp uses clear halogen bulbs behind a glass UV filter, which produce a whiter color and starker contrast than a regular incandescent bulb.
I also have pendant spot lamps hanging over my sofa, which use coated halogen bulbs. They are a little softer, closer to the kind of light you would get from a regular bulb. They're also on a dimmer, so they're comfortable to use no matter the ambient room light. And feeling their heat radiating down on me is kinda cozy in the winter.
In general, I prefer halogen lights, but regular incandescent bulbs are good too as long as you're getting the light directly from the bulb and not indirectly through a lamp shade or off the walls & ceiling. To me, direct vs. indirect lighting makes more of a difference than Halogen vs. regular. Though some of that preference is probably aesthetic.
thefonz on 2/11/2009 at 21:15
Candle light.
Aja on 2/11/2009 at 22:38
Quote:
· Doctors pour cold water on commonly held views
· And they use more than 10% of their brains to do it
:thumb:
oudeis on 3/11/2009 at 04:33
The intensity of the light source is less of a problem than the color spectrum, if memory serves. Incandescent lights supposedly have too much blue to the light, which makes it harder to discern things like black text on a white page. That's the theory, anyway.
Muzman on 3/11/2009 at 05:16
Normal incandescents are mostly red, being little more than a hot piece of metal. Halogens are pretty much the same, but their special gas biz gets them more into the blue end of things basically by having a much higher operating temperature.
The other flourescing gas types are all over the shop thanks to the various reactive phosphor coatings they use, but predominantly in the middle (green).
I think that's how it goes.
Goblin on 3/11/2009 at 13:50
Does strain your eyes though, in a way that doesn't cause any damage but does fatigue you. So reading yourself to sleep with a covered lamp works awesome, but don't read with a covered lamp while driving.
Enchantermon on 3/11/2009 at 17:07
Quote Posted by Goblin
. . . but don't read
with a covered lamp while driving.
Fixed that for you. :p
