How To Choose An Eye Protection Lamp? [7 Hidden Factors]

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Modern individuals are using phones and machines in an inconceivably regular manner as the exponential rise of the information age. 

Face safety has, however, been highly visible. But for anti-blue goggles, purchasing the right desk lamp for eye strain protection is the most widely used. 

Nowadays, owing to the limitations on technologies and the incompetence of eye care, the number of myopic individuals is rising. 

A lot of people prefer to choose eye protection  lamps to shield the kids’ eyes. How to choose an eye protection lamp, the following factors must be taken into account.

How To Choose An Eye Protection Lamp?

To help you pick the right lamp to minimise eye pressure, below is a brief overview.

Illuminance

Illuminance is a term that refers to the amount of light that falls on (illuminates) and spreads over a given surface area. 

Illuminance is also linked to how people perceive the brightness of a lit area. In such a case, people get confused between illuminance and brightness and interchange it because both terms refer to luminance. 

Illuminance refers to the amount of light that falls on a surface, whereas brightness refers to the visual perceptions and physiological responses to light. 

Brightness isn’t a term that’s used to quantify anything. According to the photobiological protection standard, the illumination of the desk lamp on the tabletop must be reasonably consistent, and the lighting area must encompass the reading and writing area.  

Otherwise, when reading or writing, the uneven light in the line of sight forces the eyes to continually change the size of the pupils, resulting in visual exhaustion. Illuminance can be graded as AA or A according to national requirements. There’s no chance that the right alternative is AA.

Luminance

The amount of light that is emitted, passed through, or reflected from a solid angle is referred to as luminance. It also indicates how much luminous intensity the human eye can perceive. 

Luminance is defined as the brightness of light emitted or reflected from a surface. The term luminance is used in the display industry to describe how bright a display is.

Color Temperature

The warm light radiates a yellow or white color, while the cold one radiates a blue tone. It is within 4000-5500K of natural white light.

Color Temperature for eye protection lamp

The above image clearly expresses the suitable brightness for eyes.

For your eye-protective jobs, a desk lamp in that range is capable of producing the optimal illumination. 

Blue light is detrimental to human eyes, whereas pale yellow white light is good for reading and writing.

Brightness of light

The key and all-important element is lamp brightness. You will suffer eye issues such as eyestrain and dryness if lights are absent or overflowing while doing activities. 

The brighter the light, the bad it is for your eyes, because most brighter desk lamps use phosphor to release light. It has a higher color temperature and it directly affects the eyes, so light bulbs of desk lamps that are too bright may not be a good desk lamp. 

It has a reliable and customizable brightness of at least 400 lumens when searching for the perfect  lamp for eye safety. 

Lamps of approximately 400 lumens are fairly bright to read and operate. Note, the element that defines light intensity is not wattage. Do scan for lumens.

CRI

CRI means color rendering index. The higher the color rendering index, the light would not distort the object’s color itself. 

CRI Kelvin Temperatures

The above image helps us to know that CRI ranging from 80-90 would be perfect for eyes without extra saturation.

A main criteria for an eye protection desk lamp is colour rendering. It is impossible to recover the original colour of the light if the colour of the light is dim. 

The LED desk lamp colour rendering index was around 85 percent before; with technical advancement, it can now be up to 95 percent.

Blue light hazard

Blue-violet light is the most powerful of all visible lights, but we are fearful that it will damage the human body. The explanation that we prioritise blue-violet light is that sunlight is the maximum energy of ultraviolet light. 

As we all know, exposing ourselves to ultraviolet light is dangerous, so we apply sunscreen in the summer and wear sunglasses. We can’t stop wondering about blue light risks when it comes to LEDs. 

When blue light hits the eye, it can cause photochemical damage, leading to macular degeneration and cataracts. The lens is much simpler in children than it is in adults. 

As compared to other colours, blue light has a better potential to penetrate the fundus and affect the retina.Many nations also consider using high-quality LED lamp beads or warm white lamps to decrease the effect of blue light on the human body. 

Several kinds of lights function individually, and their spectrum varies. LEDs emit more blue light relative to conventional incandescent bulbs. 

Height of the Lamp

It is wise not to overlook the height of the desk lamp. The 30cm distance from tables brings both good sight and eye protection, according to science figures. Hence, from your workbench, the right eye care desk lamp for your eyes is at least 40-50cm high.

If you are looking for table lamps, read our blog on choosing table lamps

Which Light Is Harmful For Eyes?

After considering the above factors, one should stop purchasing “cool” and “bright white” fluorescent bulbs with high quality. As they are so cheap and easy to find, these bulbs are popular. 

A distinctly bluish shade is released from them. Fluorescent lamps display a high frequency of “flicker illumination.” Photomechanical damage is caused by high frequency flicker light with a frequency of several kHz and a power of several watts. 

Since the eyes can’t keep up with the sudden shifts of brightness, the eyes don’t diminish except though the light is at its strongest. 

Bright light can be reflected onto the eye, creating retinal loss over time. Glare on the retina and dry eyes are caused by AC peak voltage. Near intense light, on the other hand, induces retinal retention, eye muscle relaxation, and vision loss.

Incandescent lamp filaments can exceed thousands of degrees Celsius, while halogen lamps emit energy in the form of infrared radiation (heat). The wavelength of the infrared that induces cataracts is 1 500-800m. Shortwave infrared can pass through the cornea and be absorbed by the glass.

It would be a big concern if an eye-protecting LED desk lamp emits radiation. Ultraviolet ray emission is a common concern with fluorescent desk lamps. 

Fluorescent tubes contain a number of ultraviolet rays at near distances and they use mercury gas to be ionised to create ultraviolet rays and excite phosphors to emit light.

Another type of light that has the ability to damage the eyes is blue light. Blue light is a form of cool light with a lot of energy on the vision spectrum. Computer, TV, tablet, and mobile displays all emit it. 

The following is list of eye disease due to choosing wrong lamp:-

  • Tired eyes
  • Headaches
  • Itchy eyes
  • Blurred vision
  • Increased sensitivity to light.
  • Migraine
  • Nausea
  • Photophobia

What considerations do you weigh when choosing an eye safety lamp?

Natural lighting is always better for your eyes, but if you do choose a desk lamp that is suitable for your eyes, choose a bright yellow light. 

The value of eye protection is frequently ignored. We don’t know how much UV our eyes are subject to during the day, which is why taking tiny, safe measures is the safest way to go. 

One may also be able to convince the company to move from fluorescent to LED light bulbs by claiming that it saves money, electricity, and protects all of the employees’ eyes. 

The following tips should be taken into account to protect eyes from harmful light.

  1. To maximise the amount of light in a space without using super bright bulbs, use several light sources in the room.
  2. Cold light bulbs are superior to cold light fixtures and lamps. Combination lighting incorporates multiple forms of light to achieve the most realistic feel possible.
  3. For activities such as reading and writing, use lamps with guided illumination.
  4. To prevent possible eye damage caused by dim lighting, operate in well-lit environments.
  5. By installing lights and displays in the right places, you can reduce glare.
  6. By taking regular screen breaks, you will restrict and reduce your sensitivity to blue light. When you spend a lot of time staring at a phone, follow the 20-20-20 maxim. Per 20 minutes of screen time, take a 20-foot step back and stare at the 20 miles away for 20 seconds. 

At least an hour or two until bedtime, turn off all displays and limit your exposure to blue light.

Opt For A Lamp That Shields Eyes

Classic incandescent bulbs are perfect, but more people prefer a more energy-efficient alternative. 

Fortunately, “warm light” CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lights) are not only better for your eyes, but also more effective. They do contain UV rays, but only in small numbers. 

You may either use halogens or Lead lamps.However, bear in mind that LEDs aren’t as good at emitting light in all directions, so remember where you’ll put them strategically.

Read more about eye-friendly lamps

Conclusion

There are several different lamp choices available, but there are a few that you can avoid. 

In general, “cool” or “bright white” fluorescent bulbs should be avoided. These bulbs can emit a slightly bluish light, but studies have shown that they raise the risk of a number of eye problems. 

When choosing a lamp to protect your eyes, remember considerations such as illuminance, luminance, color temperature, light brightness, CRI, blue light hazard and height of the lamp. 

Natural lighting is often superior to artificial lighting, so if you do use a desk lamp, use a bright yellow bulb. Classic incandescent bulbs are suitable.

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