• Increase light level by placing fixtures close to your task, or by selecting light bulbs with more lumens (look for lumens rating on the package).
  
  
• Place light fixtures over the sink, stove, countertops, and other fixed work areas. Locate these fixtures to the side and slightly in front of the position where a person would usually stand to see the task.
  
  
• If you have upper cabinets, light your countertops with thin, under-cabinet lighting fixtures mounted on the underside of the cabinets.
  
  
• Avoid shadows by placing the light source on the side opposite to your writing hand. Right-handers: place light to your left. Left-handers: to your right.
  
  
• Use light color finishes on walls and ceilings to soften the effects of bright light sources, and to reduce shadows.
  
  
• Place task lights to your side to avoid reflected glare from your work surface or glossy magazines.
  
  
• Bright objects in your field of view impair your ability to see. Place some kind of opaque or translucent material between you and the light bulb if you can see the bare bulb while standing or sitting.
  
  
• Avoid using clear glass light fixtures.
  
  
• Use shades, blinds, or curtains to minimize glare from windows.
  
  
• Always have some dim lights on in the room when watching TV or using the computer to minimize the harsh contrast of the bright screen and a dark room.
  
  
• In the bathroom, use a shower light for good visibility. Lights on both sides of your mirror will ensure even lighting without glare when you are shaving, applying makeup, or reading fine print on medication bottles. 
  
  
• In the kitchen, avoid having only ceiling fixtures in the center of the room that cast your shadow when you are working at a counter or sink.
  
  
• Light fixtures near your bed should be adjustable and should be placed above your headboard or to your side, below your eye level, to avoid glare.
  
  
• Use nightlights, or select a fixture to leave on all night near your bedroom, to provide low light levels. Mark the path between your bed and the bathroom with one or more plug-in nightlights. These are commonly available with a photosensor that turns the light on automatically at night.
  
  
• Install light switches with toggles that glow in the dark. Place switches where you can reach them easily from your bed.
  
  
• Where possible, place porch lights on both sides of your door. If you have only one light, place it on the keyhole side of the door. A light with an opening on the bottom will direct light downward so you can find the lock easily. Shield your view of a bare bulb as you approach the door by selecting porch lights with opaque surfaces on the outward-facing surface.
  
  
• Use light and dark colors to help you see steps and railings. If your stairs are dark, paint the vertical portion (riser) of the stair with a light color. If your walls are dark, paint the railing a light color.

More lighting tips and room-by-room guidelines for lighting your home are available in a booklet written by Mariana Figueiro of the Lighting Research Center and published by the AARP Andrus Foundation. Click here to download and print your own copy.

The Lighting Research Center (LRC) is part of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Troy, N.Y., and is the leading university-based research center devoted to lighting. 

Shedding Some Light on Visual Changes
as We Age

Mary Curley

Don’t forget….

…that after the age of 50, the amount of light that hits the retina of the eye is about half of what it was at the age of 25.

…that older adults require two to three times the amount of light as do younger adults.

…that everyone, no matter their health, background or life history, experiences a decrease in visual capabilities as they age.

…that since the change in our vision is usually gradual, it might be hard to realize that you need more light for optimal vision.

Upgrading your lighting need not be expensive. Choose two or three areas where you spend the most time and focus on adding more light to your most important tasks. For most people, this will be the kitchen, bathroom and chair where you like to read.

Mary Curley is a member of the Northwest Universal Design Coalition. She is also the Creator and President of InDesign Innovations.