Know More About Your Office Lighting

It is no secret that long exposure to certain types of light bulbs and certain lighting configurations can cause eye strain and eventual damage. This is why it is so important to ensure that the lighting in your office is optimal for eye health.

Major Causes of Office Eye Strain

There are several types of lighting configurations that can cause your eyes to work harder than they need to. Here are some of the major known causes of eye strain in offices today:

* Overhead fluorescent lighting

* Dim lights

* Glare or flickering lighting

* An overly bright computer screen

Health Impact of Improper Lighting

Around the world, governments have been passing measures to phase out the use of incandescent bulbs in favor of more energy-efficient lighting. In 2007, the U.K. announced that incandescent bulbs should be completely phased out by 2011. Implementation of guidelines for energy conservation and performance will alleviate consumer concerns about product quality. LED lights are better for the environment, but they are also better for the human eye. UV lighting has been linked to eye strain and consequent ocular damage including but not limited to:

* Cataracts

* Macular degeneration (retina damage)

* Pterygia (non-cancerous white tissue grows over your eye, causing blindness)

* Corneal scarring

* Chronic headaches

* Chronic red, itchy and/or dry eyes

* Chronic blurry vision

Quick Fixes for Improper Office Lighting

If you work for an employer you may not be able to control the type of lighting your company uses. But you can do two things: make health-based recommendations to your employer and make your own adjustments to ease eye strain.

* Dim or turn off office lighting and use the natural light of windows instead.

* Repaint your office to a brighter white to increase light reflection from natural lighting.

* Bring in LED desk and freestanding lamps from home to light your personal space.

* Move your computer out of the direct path of lighting that can cause reflected glare.

* Dim the computer screen brightness and compensate with other lighting options.

* Adjust your monitor height so that the centre of the monitor falls just a couple inches below your eyes.

How to Convince Your Employer to Switch to LED Lighting

If you want to present a proposal to your employer to replace fluorescent bulbs with LED bulbs, the best way to do so is to present it as a cost-saving measure for the office. Here are some points to bring up that may convince your employer to make the switch.

* LED lightbulbs can offer up to 80,000 hours of useful light before replacement is needed.

* LED bulbs contain no harmful materials like lead and mercury.

* LED bulbs emit no UV or flickering light that can cause an increase in employee health claims on the employer-sponsored health plan.

* LED bulbs are eco-friendly and can be promoted to clients and customers as a green-friendly measure company-wide.

This information can help you improve office lighting conditions for your own eye health and that of your co-workers. Also, you could use some high quelity and professional ceiling lights for your office place, so that it will looks more comfortable and good for your later work.