Full spectrum lighting offers better visual color/contrast quality allowing one to see objects more comfortably since it provides a full spectrum of color and is not biased towards one color like other light sources.

Full spectrum lighting increases contrast which provides more noticeable differences in color.

Full spectrum lighting also has a higher “flicker rate” which can reduce eye strain. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flicker_fusion_threshold

Some experts believe full spectrum lighting can systemically improve “moods” by stimulating certain glands and hormones.

Not to confuse you even more, here’s another website that sells FULL SPECTRUM lighting that our optometrist recommends to our patients with visual difficulties. ( http://www.ottlite.com/t-full-spectrum-lamp.aspx )

Virile Happy Eyes Lamp Series, Reading Lamp

Verilux® Happy Eyes Lamp Series increases the energy levels and lifts the moods of your employees. The lamps in this series all feature a fluorescent bulb that simulates natural light, contributing to an overall sense of well-being. These bulbs emit a pure white light that increases contrast for better vision. They also reduce glare and eyestrain, making reading and other close-up tasks easier and more comfortable. These fluorescent bulbs last five times longer than ordinary bulbs!

In some ways, the Happy Eyes desk lamp is retro in appearance, with an adjustable “gooseneck” support which lets you position the light to your needs. The lamp stands about 14 inches tall, and from front to back, is about 17 inches deep. So if you have a very cramped computer desk, the Happy Eyes lamp may be a little bulky as compared with a small halogen lamp. But the benefits over a halogen desk lamp are numerous.

First off, the light from the Happy Eyes lamp is very close to sunlight in spectrum, which is very useful if you are printing photos in color and want wide-spectrum lighting to review them. Also, the compact fluorescent bulb uses less power than halogen lights. And just like a halogen lamp, the Happy Eyes light turns on instantly without any of that irritating fluorescent light flickering. And it uses solid state circuitry to produce an even source of light that does not flash 60 times per second the way normal fluorescent bulbs do. In fact, I hate normal fluorescent lights, not just for their irritating 60 flickers per second, but also for their un-natural spectrum. Happy Eyes lights eliminate both of those problems, and deliver natural, steady light.

Happy Eyes Pros

• Natural light in a lamp
• No flicker!
• Long bulb life
• Instant on
• Bright
• Low power consumption
• Excellent for previewing color prints

Happy Eyes Cons

• More expensive than typical desk lamps
• larger than most desk lamps

Facts about the vision myths and rumors you’ve been hearing since childhood.

Do you remember all of the crazy things your parents used to tell you in order to get you to behave? “You better stop making that funny expression or your face is gonna get stuck like that!” “If you wanna grow up to be big and strong, you better finish all of your veggies!”

While many of us grew up and stopped believing in these humorous sayings, not all of these childhood myths were outrageously unfeasible. In fact, to this day, people still believe many of the vision and eye care myths that parents used to lecture us about when we were younger.

But now, once and for all, we are getting to the bottom of the most common vision myths and sharing whether or not they are true or false:

True or False: Sitting Too Close to the TV Can Hurt Your Eyes

FALSE! While many of us were told otherwise when we were kids, there is no scientific proof that shows that sitting too close to the television will cause any kind damage to your vision. The worst that could happen is getting eye strain or a stiff neck after sitting close for too long.

Although, it should be noted that if you need to sit close to the TV in order to clearly see what is going on, this may be a sign that you already have vision problems such as nearsightedness.

However, while the distance in which you watch TV may not matter, recent studies have shown that watching too much TV may have a long-term negative effect on your vision, so it’s still a good idea to step away from the television and get good, old-fashion outdoor exercise.

True or False: Computer Monitors Won’t Damage Your Eyes

TRUE! Computer monitors are no more likely to damage your vision than TVs are. However, when people are working on the computer, they tend to blink less which can cause eye dryness.

In order to prevent dry eyes, follow the 20-20-20 rule while working on the computer for long periods of time: Every 20 minutes that you are using an electronic device, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away.

True or False: Reading In Dim Light Will Hurt Your Eyes

FALSE! The only effect that dim lighting can have on your eyes when reading is increased eye strain. This can cause your eyes to become tired and words to become blurry, but these effects are only temporary.

However, don’t feel foolish for believing this myth―In 2007, this common misconception was named one of the seven medical myths that doctors themselves were likely to believe.

True or False: Eating Carrots Will Improve Your Vision

FALSE! While carrots are rich in beta-carotene and vitamin A, essential nutrients for healthy vision, eating them will not improve your eyesight.

However, even if they don’t give you 20/20 vision, it is still important to include carrots in your diet; They can help provide protection against macular degeneration and the development of cataracts. They are also an essential part of a healthy diet.

True or False: You Should Get Regular Eye Exams Even If You Don’t Have Vision Problems

TRUE! Just like annual visits to your primary doctor, regular eye exams are a vital part of health care. Because many eye diseases don’t show early symptoms, regular eye exams may catch a number of vision conditions before they become serious.

People between the ages of 18-60 to get an eye exam every two years. Seniors aged 61 and older should receive annual exams.

If you have any other common eye care myth questions, feel free to ask the doctor!  We may feature your question in an upcoming blog post.

Image source: Jupiter Images

QUESTION:
Hello, I had lasik about 7 years ago. My vision has been perfect but the last few months, I’ve been needing reading glasses (they told me eventually I would). I was wondering if another procedure might correct this…I will be in New Jersey [soon]. I don’t want to do anything risky, but if I can get rid of those pesky reading glasses I would have more room in my shirt pocket!! Thanks! Bill

ANSWER:
Hi Bill. Thanks so much for your question.

LASIK provides excellent distance vision without glasses. In patients younger than their mid 40’s, close vision is not compromised, as they still have the ability to focus up close. Once one gets past their mid 40’s, the natural lens in our eyes looses its ability to change shape. This is called presbyopia. As young LASIK patients approach the presbyopic years, they will begin to lose their ability to see up close, and find themselves reaching for over the counter reading glasses.

Many of these LASIK patients ask what can be done to eliminate the readers. This can be treated non-surgically with either bifocal contact lenses, or monovision contact lenses (1 eye near and 1 eye far.)

Surgically, presbyopia may be treated by the following approaches:

1. Near vision CK can temporarily improve the near vision in 1 eye, but will only last for a few years.
2. Treating 1 eye for near with a LASIK enhancement to create a monovision correction. This is also a compromise, and will become less effective with time.
3. Refractive lens exchange with the implantation of a multifocal IOL gets to the root of the problem: the inability of the natural lens to focus. By replacing it with an artificial IOL, patiets are now able to see both near and far. This is a permanent correction that will not fade with the aging of the eye. This is my preferred treatment of choice for the correction of presbyopia. In both previous LASIK patients and those who have never had surgery.

Best,
Cary M. Silverman, MD