Fluorescent Lights Part II – Headaches & Fatigue

Yesterday we talked about fluorescent lights and vision health.

It’s rather quite difficult sometimes to stick to just myopia when we talk about vision health.  Things very quickly branch out into lots of related topics, which I often try to avoid getting into.  While I know a whole lot about myopia, I’m no expert on the many related subjects.

Sometimes we broach subjects like lattice degeneration and macular degeneration and cataracts and LASIK, and depression.  Your eyes are your window to your reality, and so much of your health and wellbeing is affected by them.

Case in point, the subject of light quality.  Steve posts an interesting observation in the forum:

Kellee and Lee, you guys should definitely invest in some full spectrum lamps or bulbs in your working areas. This has made a huge difference for me both at work and at home over the Winter.

At work, I have flourescent lighting directly over my desk. It is low-power “energy saver” lighting that is quite harsh. The person that sits in the cubicle next to me has been out on medical leave because of chronic headaches, due at least partly to poor lighting.

I brought in my natural spectrum lamp from home and placed it in the corner shining on my desk. The effect on the overall lux was minimal…from 350lux to 450 or so, but the overall quality of the light is MUCH better. I notice much less eye fatigue at the end of the day.

At home I added a bunch of overhead recessed lighting in my living room recently. The difference is literally night and day. I used to have to sit 6-8 ft away from my TV or my double-vision would be unbearable. Now, I can comfortably sit on the couch about 15ft away and clear the double-vision after a few minutes. I also notice my mood is much lighter and I feel more energized at night. My girlfriend has also mentioned how much better she feels with the increased lighting. She is 6 months post-lasik and was getting nightly headaches due to strain.

The environmental factor of vision is much more important than most people think. Poor lighting induces eye strain, stress, anxiety, fatigue, and depression. You’ll be surprised how much adding a few lights can affect your overall health!

Starting Rx

[Feb 2014] OS -7.50d, -1c | OD -6.00d, -1.25c
Optometrist [May 2015] OS -6.75d, -1c | OD -5.25d, -1c
Current Norm: [20/40] OS -5.00d | OD -4.00d (spherical)
Current Diff: [~50cm] OS -4.25d | OD -3.25d (spherical)
Current CM: OS 16cm | OD 20cm