“Stop reading in the dark, you’re going to damage your eyes…!” Or will you?
Does this line seem familiar? Well it probably is, because many parents reiterated it to their children, and you may now be saying the same to your children.
But is this belief true? Amazingly, the eye is a sophisticated organ, which can adjust to even low light. This is why your eyes can adjust to a dark room. However, just because your eyes can adjust to low light, doesn’t mean it’s the optimal way to read. The degree of detail that your eye can read is enhanced when more light is present, than when less light is present. Therefore if you choose to read in the dark, you may experience eye strain or fatigue as your eyes try to read the details of the print, but there are no damaging effects to the eye.
Although, our parents’ beliefs as to why one should not read in the dark were not true, there is some sensibility behind it all! The next time you pick up a book to read, make sure you have adequate light, this will enhance your eye resolution and prevent you from experiencing eye exhaustion!