If you sit at your desk, working on a computer, looking at your computer screen all day, you’re going to get eye strain and headaches—just like everyone else who does this for an extended period of time every day.
So, what can you do? That’s where a desk lamp comes in handy.
The Effects of Eye Strain
In today’s world, eye strain is one of the most common ailments. In fact, it can be caused by a number of things including poor lighting, lack of sleep, and staring at screens for too long. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to combat eye strain with a desk lamp that provides the right level of brightness and color.
A desk lamp with adjustable brightness levels will allow you to switch between light settings depending on your environment and needs. Some lamps even have USB ports so you can plug in your phone or tablet for an additional power source if needed.
Read: How Long Does A Desk Lamp Last?
How To Avoid Eye Strain
Although a desk lamp is not meant to be the primary eye care product, it can help reduce eye strain. If you are looking for a desk lamp, look for one that has an arm and offers multiple modes (natural light, night light, and sleep mode). This will make it easier to find a mode that suits your needs. You might also want to consider buying a led desk lamp or even one with motion sensors.
One more thing to keep in mind when shopping for a desk lamp is the size of the base. The base should be large enough so that it doesn’t topple over easily.
It’s always good to keep these considerations in mind when you are shopping for a desk lamp. Of course, it’s important to get proper lighting as well. Make sure that the type of lighting you choose complements your home office and tasks. Just remember: how much light you need depends on what you’re doing at the moment.
Types of Eye Strain
With all the devices we use on a daily basis, it’s no surprise that eye strain is becoming an increasingly common issue. There are many different types of eye strain, but some of the most common are:
- Nearsightedness
- Farsightedness
- Presbyopia
- Astigmatism
Generally speaking, there are three ways to fix your eyesight:
- Glasses (which correct for nearsightedness and farsightedness)
- Contact lenses (which correct for presbyopia)
- Surgery (which corrects astigmatism)
Read: What Should I Look For In A Desk Lamp?
How A Desk Lamp Can Help With Eye Strain
A desk lamp can be a great design feature for an office or workspace if it’s well-designed. You don’t need to have one at home, but it might make sense if you work from home often. However, a lot depends on how close your monitor is to where you sit. If you’re more than two feet away, then a desk lamp won’t really do anything because the light isn’t focused enough. If you’re within two feet of the monitor, then yes! It will provide ambient light and reduce eye strain because of its low-intensity light directed right at where you need it without glare.
Proper lighting can help you get your work done more efficiently and make the job seem less daunting. The type of bulb you use in your desk lamp also has an effect on eye strain.
Incandescent bulbs emit light that mimics natural daylight, making them a good option if you want to avoid eyestrain. They are generally brighter than other types of bulbs and last longer, but they do have drawbacks: incandescent bulbs give off heat, so this may not be the best option if it’s very warm in your home office.
Fluorescent lamps, or CFLs, are another option when choosing lights for your desk lamp; they don’t give off as much heat as incandescent, but they tend to flicker because their brightness dims when they’re turned on or off.
What To Look For When Buying A Desk Lamp
Desk lamps are a great way to help you stay focused on your work by providing more light. You should consider the following features when looking for a desk lamp:
- Size of the lamp: Does the lamp have enough size to produce adequate brightness? Is it too tall or wide, and will it take up too much space on your desk?
- Color temperature: What color is best suited for your needs, warm or cool (or something in between)?
- The bulb’s shape and size: Will this be too big or small for the desk lamp fixture?
- Bulb type: Choose between LED, CFL, incandescent, halogen, etc., depending on what will suit you better (price and performance).
- Other features: Look for a desk lamp with an adjustable arm so you can adjust the height and angle according to your need. You might also want one with a USB plug-in so you can use it as an alternative power source during blackouts. If convenience is what matters most to you, choose one that has three settings so you can use it as both a reading light and a task light.
Make sure that whatever desk lamp catches your eye has all of these features or at least some of them- but at least look out for those.
Read: Home Office Furniture Buying Guide For Beginners
Conclusion
Eye strain is common for people who spend a lot of time in front of screens, but there are a few things you can do to ease the pain. First and foremost, set a timer to help you limit your screen time. This will keep your eyes from getting overworked. Second, make sure to use an adequate task light when working at night so that your eyes don’t need to adjust between light and dark constantly. Finally, if you work in front of a computer all day, make sure to take breaks by doing something different than just sitting at your desk.
Get up and walk around. Stretch or take some deep breaths. These little things can go a long way in preventing eye strain and headaches caused by staring at the screen too long.
