“Reading in the dark will damage your eyes!” Who has never heard this warning? But in reality, reading at night does not necessarily degrade vision… An update on this preconceived idea with Dr. Abou-Ganem, ophthalmologist.
To prolong the evening, many of us, as children, devoured books under the duvet, in a sort of semi-darkness. An exercise not always easy, as the eyes sting when faced with dark characters. But does reading in the dark really pose a risk to vision? Answers.
No, the vision does not deteriorate…
Surprisingly, reading in low light isn’t necessarily harmful to your eyes.
“Reading when it is dark does not damage your eyesight or cause a reduction in visual acuity. It just requires extra effort that can make your eyes tired and dry.“, confides Dr. Abou-Ganem, the eye having to strain to compensate for the lack of light.
In the dark, the eye will blink less, which can tire it and lead to dry eyes. In the worst case, a migraine may appear. But you don’t risk becoming more myopic by leafing through your favorite magazines in the dark.
…unless you’re reading on a tablet
On the other hand, reading on a tablet or phone can, day or night, damage your eyesight.
And for good reason: screens – which diffuse the famous blue light, harmful to our eyes – lead to more or less disabling eye problems: blurred vision, photophobia (excessive sensitivity of the eyes to light, editor’s note), myopia, problem of coordination of the eyes…
Tired eyes: how to soothe them?
In case of fatigue, it is recommended to take breaks without screens regularly (at the office, every hour) and not hesitate to blink.
Spontaneous blinking can indeed relieve tired eyes and prevent blurred vision.
Another effective tip: apply floral water or infusion compresses to your eyes. Cornflower and chamomile are particularly renowned for their soothing properties.
Finally, anti-blue light glasses can also be useful.
Slide: What are these vision problems hiding?