“Turn on the light, you’ll ruin your eyes!”: That’s a typical parental sentence. Can reading in poor light really damage your eyesight? Asked the expert.
Collapsed on the sofa with a novel, now it’s slowly getting dark. But the lamp switch is not within reach and the chapter is just so exciting?
Is reading in bad light really dangerous?
Then here’s some (half) good news: If you read in poor light, you don’t risk long-term eye damage. “This neither causes eye diseases nor worsens vision,” says Seleman Bedar, medical director of the OSG Eye Center Siegburg.
However, there is one undesirable effect that reading in the dim light may cause: a headache. The explanation: “In poor lighting conditions we put more strain on the eyes,” says the ophthalmologist. The small muscles in our eyes have to work harder and can therefore tire more quickly – which can lead to headaches. If you want to save yourself that, you better turn on the light.
Eye health: Who should definitely turn on the light
One group of people in particular should make sure to read in a well-lit environment: patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
With this common eye disease, vision gradually decreases in the area of sharpest vision. “This clinical picture leads to patients having more and more problems reading. Good, bright lighting often significantly improves reading ability,” says Seleman Bedar.
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