Eye health and visual acuity are largely dependent on the quality of lighting when reading, working or studying. There are a number of requirements for reading lamps, among which are safety and ease of use. Manufacturers offer a variety of models in design, light source, size and design. Our article is called to understand the assortment of reading lights and help choose the best model for your home.
Features
Reading devices have some functional features that distinguish them from other types of lighting.
- Regulation of distance to the illuminated object.
- The choice of angle and direction of light. A narrowly directed luminous flux brightly illuminates a small portion of the working surface, without blinding the eyes and without disturbing the household when reading at night.
- Adjust the light intensity. This feature allows you to choose a comfortable for the eye brightness of the lamp for reading books, taking into account ambient lighting.
When choosing a lighting device, it is necessary to take into account its future location, material and design.
The planned location affects the design of the lamp. A floor lamp is suitable for the living room. It will not only allow you to read in comfort, but also highlight a functional area in the room, emphasizing the style of the interior. For the bedroom, wall lamps for reading in bed are a good option, and for the workplace - a reading lamp.
Lighting devices are made of plastic and metal, complementing them with ceramic shades, silicon and acrylic glass. The most reliable and durable are metal fixtures, however, they tend to heat up, so they prefer high-quality hard plastic for children's rooms.
The color scheme and design of the lamp is chosen based on the interior style of the room. It should organically complement the interior and emphasize zoning.
Kinds
Depending on the location, reading lights can be divided into floor lamps, sconces, desktop and portable models. Let's consider them in more detail.
Floor
Floor lamps are floor lamps equipped with one or two light sources to make the reading process as comfortable as possible for the eyes. Floor lamps do not require additional installation, and they are easy to move. The best lighting for maintaining eye health is considered to be a smooth transition from general lighting to accent on the book. In this case, the eyes strain less when reading the small print. That is why many models of specialized floor reading lights are equipped with two light sources: local and accent. The first, as a rule, with a closed lampshade, to create soft local lighting of the zone, and the second on a flexible leg is intended directly for reading. Often floor lamps for these purposes complement a small table for a book.
Wall mounted
Reading wall lights are designed for mounting on a wall near the resting place: sofas, beds, chairs. Like floor lamps, they are often equipped with two light sources: for local lighting and for reading. The latter is placed on a cranked holder or flexible leg, which allows you to adjust the direction and angle of incidence of the beam. These sconces are perfect for the bedroom. The reading lamp shines directly on a book or needlework and does not interfere with the rest of the partner. The sconce switch is located on the device, so you do not have to get up to turn off the light before bedtime.
Tabletop
Table lamps are the most common lighting devices for reading and working at a computer. Ophthalmologists recommend placing the light source at eye level, so the lamps are equipped with an adjustable foot for individual adjustment and a dimmer to switch the brightness of the light. The classic cone-shaped ceiling diffuses the light flux well, without tiring your eyes when reading. The color and design of the lighting fixture can be anything, but for work and study, preference should be given to white, beige and green shades, which contribute to concentration.
Portable
Flexible lighting for reading on a clothespin deserves special mention. They have a more compact size than table lamps. The main advantage of such models is mobility. The clothespin on the clothespin can be placed on the table, nightstand, headboard, armrest or hinged shelf. Such models can be powered either by mains or by rechargeable batteries. There are very small fixtures on a clothespin that attach directly to the book. A small bright LED will illuminate the page well, without disturbing the household when reading at night. Such devices allow you to adjust the brightness of the light for comfortable reading and maintaining visual acuity.
In addition to the aforementioned portable fixtures on a clothespin there are frames for these purposes. They are a rectangular magnifying glass with LED illumination around the perimeter. Such a device will allow you to comfortably read in the dark, including small print. The brightness and hue of the light are adjustable. Compact size, light weight, economical battery consumption makes the reading frame an indispensable attribute of the traveler. In addition, the device can be used to illuminate the screen of the tablet.
Ebook reader
Some e-books lack their own lighting, so users are forced to use additional light sources. The most popular rechargeable LED clothespin or USB. The latter are attached directly to the port, have a flexible foot, as well as one or a pair of bright LEDs. The luminous intensity can be adjusted depending on the ambient light to minimize glare of the screen. The reading frame is also popular with users due to its compactness and ease of use.
Advantages and disadvantages of light sources
Reading lights are equipped with all types of household lamps, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let us dwell on them in more detail.
Incandescent lamps
These devices are the cheapest light sources. They emit light in a yellow-red spectrum, immediately after switching on they shine at full power, do not contain harmful substances. However, tungsten lamps have a very low efficiency, consume a large amount of electricity and are very hot. The service life of such lamps is only about 1000 hours. Reading lights, as a rule, are located near the hands and face, so if you are careless, you can get a burn from a heated incandescent lamp.
Halogen lamps
Halogen light sources are an advanced incandescent lamp. They consume a slightly lower amount of energy and are more compact in comparison with incandescent lamps and their service life is 4 times longer, but they are still heated and sensitive to contamination of the surface of the bulb. Lamps emit light that is closest to the light of the sun, which positively affects the comfort of the eyes when reading.
Fluorescent lamps
The luminescent light source will last twice as long as a halogen lamp, has a higher efficiency and emits a comfortable reading light. Such elements are heated to a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius and emit uniform scattered light. However, they have serious drawbacks: instability to voltage surges in the network and frequent switching on / off, as well as the use of mercury compounds in the structure. If such a lamp breaks, a person can get serious poisoning. Because of this, fluorescent light sources require special disposal measures.
LED bulbs
These devices are compact in size and almost do not heat up during operation, which is why they are actively used in portable luminaires. Their service life is up to 100,000 hours, which corresponds to 11 years of continuous operation. LEDs consume a minimum of energy and emit bright light. The light shade can vary from cold to warm and allows you to choose the most comfortable radiation for the eyes. Such lamps are often equipped with a dimmer. LED reading lights do not have a stroboscopic effect, the so-called flicker, which greatly tires the eyes.
Eye health and visual acuity are largely dependent on the quality of lighting when reading. When choosing a lamp, you should first of all pay attention to the light source and the safety of operation of the device.