Lighting Solutions for Those with Aging Eyes

Remember the days of reading a book under the covers with nothing more than a dim flashlight? Those were the days, but the older we get the more light our eyes need to see clearly. Straining to see because your lighting isn’t bright enough causes unnecessary stress on your eyes. Not only can that strain cause headaches and discomfort in your eyes it can actually cause damage to your eyesight long term. We’ve put together a list of tips for thoughtful and attractive lighting solutions for your home.

Light Layers in a Room

Having a few different types of lighting in the rooms where you spend the most time gives you more versatility to have the right lighting no matter how you’re using that space at any given time. One, bright overhead light in your family room might be great for working on a project, but too much for relaxing on your couch watching a movie. Add table lamps, floor lamps, and accent or ambient lighting to give yourself plenty of ways to configure lighting for anything you want to do.

Additionally, make sure to plug lamps into an outlet connected to a light switch (or a smart bulb with an app on your phone…but more on that later) to make it easier to turn on and off.

Get on Task

Some of our favorite activities are more enjoyable when we don’t have to strain to see them. Crafting, puzzles, reading, even cooking – you need focused lighting to see the details or read your recipe. Under cabinet lights are great task lights to add in your kitchen. A desk lamp or floor lamp makes settling in with a novel more relaxing. Whatever you enjoy doing, make sure you give yourself some focused light to do it by.

Right Light Bulb Moment

We’re all still getting used to all the options you have with light bulbs these days. In addition to brightness you can decide what color temperature you want your lighting to be. This is measured in Kelvins (K). Warmer toned lighting more closely resembles natural light, enhances contrast, and reduces eye strain. Choose bulbs in the 2700K to 3000K range for light that is warm and inviting.

Get Smart (Bulbs)

Using smart bulbs gives you a wide range of options for your lighting that can easily be controlled with your phone or from smart home devices. You could switch from a bright, white light to a cozy, warm light just by accessing an app on your phone. Using smart bulbs makes any lamp or fixture versatile enough to use as task lighting one minute and ambient lighting the next.

Take it Outside

Don’t forget to add lighting to pathways, patios and driveways to make them easy to navigate even at night. Solar lights are a great way to do this without even having to remember to turn them on. Many can be set to come on automatically in dark conditions, and only need a few hours of sunlight each day to stay charged.

At Golden Home Management we want to make sure that you feel safe and comfortable in your home, and that you’re never overwhelmed by any projects that may need to be done. Your home coordinator will be on board with you long-term, so when you reach out to us you’ll get a familiar and friendly voice on the other end of the line. We can help you implement some new and improved lighting solutions to reduce eye strain while enhancing visibility for a safer and more enjoyable home. Give us a call.