How good lighting helps

Good lighting makes it easier for all of us to do tasks but is much more important for low vision patients. We often find that patients have the right kind of light but not in the right places. 

One example is lighting for a kitchen counter. Overhead lighting really is not sufficient. An inexpensive, small desk lamp kept on the kitchen counter can make many things easier; reading a recipe, cutting vegetables or mixing ingredients in a bowl. 

A desk lamp near telephones is also very helpful. It is much easier to write things down when you have good, directed light to see what you are writing. A wonderful tool is a small flashlight that can be carried around in a pocket. Someone can use the flashlight to look for something on a shelf, read a menu in a dark restaurant or read the can label in a grocery store. 

Good lighting really makes a big difference and it is easy to get. Small penlights cost less than $3 and grocery stores are now selling $5 desk lamps. At those prices we recommend that patients buy two or three lights and keep them all around the house.