Every day, people today “spend” quite long stretches of time watching television. Not a few wonder whether the hours spent in front of the screen could pose a risk to their eyesight, or which lighting is best for reducing eye strain… For all of them, here are some enlightening answers.
What is the best position for the television in a room?
First, make sure that the layout of the room and the position of the TV are such that the set does not face the window or the balcony door, as this will create glare and make it difficult to see the picture clearly. It is worth trying several positions until you find the right one, where neither natural light nor light from the room’s luminaires reflects directly on the TV screen.
In addition, you should place the TV at a distance from where you sit of at least 5 times the width of the set.
What is the right lighting for the room where you watch TV?
Some of us like to watch TV in the dark, while others prefer strong light in the room. Neither of these extremes is considered suitable for our eyes, as both can strain them and even cause headaches.
When the room is very dark, the contrast is very strong. The darkness makes the pupil dilate, leaving it exposed to the intense rays of light. On the other hand, when there is too much light, the picture looks very washed out and it becomes difficult for the viewer to see clearly.
The best solution is to set the room’s lighting at an intermediate level: neither too bright nor too dark.
Ambient lighting is well suited to such occasions. Ideally, use floor lamps or ceiling luminaires that direct the light upwards or towards the walls.
If you want an even better result, you can try a lighting gadget called the “Ideal Lume LCD backlight”. It consists of fluorescent “strips” that can be mounted on walls. These special lighting devices minimise the glare created on the TV screen and emit just enough light to keep our eyes comfortable while we watch television. They also help the screen reproduce colours better.
