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Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners
Can reading in dim light damage my son's eyes?
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My 12 year old son is a book worm - he loves to read and his eyes are constantly glued to the pages of a good book no matter the place or time. Often times he reads in bed at night with a dim reading light and I worry it can affect his eyesight due to strain. Opinion? -
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Andrew Koch
Optometrist
Andrew works in Tasmania at Total Eyecare, a group of independent practitioners that is Tasmanian owned. He is part of a team that includes some of … View Profile
Dim light never hurt anyone! Reading in low light levels can, however, be difficult and can be a source of eye-strain if your eyes are not focussing adequately. In low light levels, our pupils enlarge and this decreases our depth of field, and it shows up any abnormality in the way our eyes focus. It is common for people to have minor focussing abnormalities that they do not notice when there is plenty of light.
Frequently, many people have mild hyperopia (long-sightedness) or astigmatism (distortion) that makes it hard to concentrate on fine print in low light levels. In these cases, prescription reading glasses can often improve reading performance and they don't weaken you eyes if correctly prescribed.
It is a good idea to have an eye examination if you can't read well in low ligght situations.Report this post
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Gary Rodney
Optometrist
I am a Behavioural Optometrist which means I look at more than just clarity of sight. I specialise in functional and perceptual vision skills that … View Profile
Yes this absolutely will contribute to eyestrain and to progressive shortsightedness.
I spend alot of time helping children minimise their progression of myopia. The reading habuts you have described would be present in the majority of these children.Report this post
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