Furnishing Your Home to Save Your Eyes

Evening Star, Issue 20252, 13 August 1929, Page 2

Furnishing Your Home to Save Your Eyes

Thought and Care in Lighting Prevent Strain

Man’s great superiority over animals is due to the more facile use of his brain, his hands, and kis eyes. When oil displaced candles in home illumination eye strain was greatly reduced. Electricity made available lighting appliances for further eliminating eye latigue. With the advent of electricity, however, such great power for lighting was placed at the householder’s disposal that many have overdone it, and actually placed a needless burden upon their eyes. The selection of wall covers and room colours must also be given careful study by everyone who js aware of the value of his eyes and the importance of giving these delicate members every protection. There are some pople who seem to biiove that a single electric bulb can perform a miracle, and expect it to light an entire room. Of course, a large bulb can make an average room glow with light, but that is not adequate lighting, since the high-powered bulb causes glare fatigue of the eyes. It is mucn like looking at the bright, sun for a few seconds. Of the two evils, high intensity lighting which produces glare, and dim lighting without glare, dim lighting is the better, but even that is subjecting the eyes to a continual strain. The dim light places most of its strain on the delicate automatic lens just behind the pupil at the front of the eye, while the glaring lighting fatigues "the sensitive nerve cells near the back of the eye-ball. Too bright light may actually destroy these receptive nerve cells. That is why forest rangers in the Rockies always wear dark coloured goggles when they are out of doors, where the snow reflects tho glaring sunlight, into their eyes. A 75-watt bulb hanging on a ifft or 3ft cord in the centre of tho kitchen produces glare, unless it is properly shaded. Yet to be able to sec into the kitchen sink, when she is washing dishes in her own shadow the housewife often has even a larger light bulb placed on this cord. Now 75 watts shaded or unshaded is not adequate for the average kitchen. There should bo a. 25-watt bulb over the stove cose to the ceiling; another 25-watt bulb over the sink and close to the ceiling; still another 25watt bulb where it will shine into the ice box, but still keeping dose to the ceiling. LIGHTS EVENLY DISTRIBUTED

would usually keep them from being seen directly by tho oye, except in the case of large kitchens. In the other rooms of the house a study should be made of lamp shades Shades with an opening in the top need to bo placed oh table lamps which are arranged so that light coming through the opening does not strike the eye of anyone sitting or standing in the room. Yet it is not unusual to see a, small shade originally intended for a tiny bulb used with a largo bulb, the most of which sticks up through the top of tho shade. Careful shopping for better shades, and discarding some old ones will work wonders with many tired eyes. That most rooms need more artificial light than they enjoy is a third principle. A conservative rule is that there should he from three to four watts for every square foot of floor space in the room. If tho room has high ceilings there should bo proportionately more electricity used iu lighting. Also, if tho wall colour is dark more watts should be used. A heavy coloured opaque lamp shade, for instance, cuts down the lighting efficiency of a bulb. The sand coloured genuine parchment shades are very effective in letting the light from the bulb out into the general room. Although these are somewhat more expensive they are cheapest in the long run in letting more light through and in saving eyes. Tin shades should bo thrown into the basket with the tin cans. They arc a poor attempt to correct tho .inistake of having a strong bulb hanging in front of one’s eyes.

Scattering light by numerous small lamps with well-chosen shades not merely saves eye fatigue, but it also gives an opportunity for very clover and effective decorating with light. WALLS SHOULD REFLECT LIGHT

Just as a shade may cut; down light, so can wall colour. Many rooms are dimly lighted even in broad sunlight because of deeply-coloured sombre wails, which soak up the light, like a greedy sponge. Of course, heavy velours or lined draperies which extend over half of the window may also cut down the light; these should be kept [ndled well back away from the window. But the wall colour itsef has a powerful effect on the total lighting of a room.

Ceilings should be white to_ reflect all possible light downward, with the effect of expensive indirect light which is the best. in case tho ceiling is papered it could be repapered to advantage once a year without disturbing the side wails. This is important, since tho collection of invisible and unremovable dust greatly lessens the lighting value of a white ceiling. For the side walls light-coloured papers and tints are to be given preference. Rods and yellows can be recommended for tboir eye-saving qualities but it should be a light pink and a light buff that is used, not a deep rod. The effect of lights depreciates rapidly. Unless they arc carefully dusted it is easily possible for them to lose. 10 per cent, of their lighting power in a month. All bulbs should be cleaned regularly with a clean, damp cloth about every alternate week.

This illustrates several important principles to bo followed in checking up on what can be done to the house lighting to save eyes. First, it is better to nave light from small bulbs scattered around the room rather than from a single large bulb. This makes the lighting more uniform, avoiding dark corners, and eliminating much glare. In the living room of my home, or instance, there was just a large central fixture when we moved in. \Ve now r light, the room with small bulbs in tliis fixture, and seven small wall, floor, table, and bridge lamps, each with a 25-watt frosted bulb.

Then, secondly, the bulbs should be arranged so that they cannot be seen. This further eliminates glare. In the kitchen wo suggested that they be placed flush with the ceiling, since that