You are reading your book or newspaper or magazine when load shedding takes away your light.
What now, do you have to stop reading?
If you don’t have a tablet or computer that has enough battery life, you can still opt to read, but reading your book or newspaper or magazine may be a challenge if you don’t have good alternative lighting.
Several websites say that the belief that reading in dim light ruins your eye sight is a myth and an old wive’s tale.
Low light does cause eye strain and make your eyes tired more quickly.
Eye strain is seen as sore or irritated eyes, difficulty focusing, dry or watery eyes, blurred or double vision, increased sensitivity to light and a pain in the neck, shoulders, or back.
The website www.bbc.com explains the human eye is designed to adjust to different light levels.
If you are reading in low light your pupils dilate to take in more light through the lens onto your retinas.
The cells in your retina, called rods and cones, use this light to provide information to the brain about what you can see.
In a dark room this process allows you to become gradually accustomed to what initially feels like pitch-black darkness.
If you switch a light on, it feels unbearably bright until your pupils have time to readjust again.
The same happens if you strain to read a book in dim light.
Your eyes do adjust, but to some readers the strain gives them a headache.
For the persistent readers the website www.health.harvard.edu gives advice to people who want to read in low light.
According to the site, the best way to position a reading light is to have it shine directly onto the page, not over your shoulder.
A light that shines over your shoulder may cause a glare on the reading material, making it more difficult to see.
