Do your eyes feel tired, sore or struggle to focus at the end of the day? This is a sign of eye strain. While most people are quick to blame digital screens, there is another hidden culprit behind everyday discomfort, and that is poor indoor lighting.
The positive news is that improving the quality of natural light in your home by increasing the amount of daylight is one of the most effective ways to relieve eye strain. One way to do so is by installing a Solatube skylight that floods homes with balanced daylight throughout the day. In the guide, we will cover the role poor lighting plays in making eye strain worse and the practical tips for tackling this issue.
Eye strain, also known as asthenopia, is caused by your eyes becoming overworked.
While increased digital screen time causes eye strain, your home’s lighting environment also changes the severity.
As more Australians are working from home full-time or spending more time at home in general, having poorly lit spaces means more people are feeling the symptoms of eye strain.
While prolonged exposure to light emitted by digital screens is increasing eye strain for many Australians, having more poor lighting exacerbates this issue. Here are the four ways and reasons why poor lighting makes eye strain worse:
When your home has older or cheap LED or fluorescent lighting, it can flicker more frequently. Even if it isn’t visible, the subtle flickers make your eyes have to constantly readjust to small changes of brightness, increasing fatigue and eye strain.
Overly warm yellow light or cold blue can distort colours and make your surroundings feel distorted, making your surroundings feel visually “off”.
Downlights in the home can create uneven pools of light, leading to harsh shadows and hotspots. This causes eye strain as your eyes are constantly recalibrating.
Many Australian homes have dim or windowless rooms, such as windowless bathrooms, deep hallways, internal studies, closed-off kitchens or basement-style living areas, which create a chronic lighting imbalance. As more people spend more time at home, it is important that dim or dark rooms have balanced natural lighting throughout the day to keep eye strain at bay.
Increasing natural light exposure is considered the best solution for how you can prevent eye strain.
Here is how the science backs it up:
According to Harvard Health, using natural light helps reduce eye fatigue by improving contrast sensitivity. Natural daylight provides a full and continuous spectrum of colour wavelengths. This makes it easier for your eyes to perceive detail, reducing visual strain and maintaining focus.
Beyond easing eye strain, daylight also supports focus, mood and overall well-being.
Research has found:
While increasing the number of windows in the home can improve natural daylight exposure, it is not always an option for the darker rooms with no external walls. That is where Solatube skylights are beneficial.
Solatube skylights are a leading solution in daylighting technology as they are designed to deliver bright, evenly dispersed and consistent natural light throughout the day. Due to their innovative technology, science-backed design and ease of installation, they are the optimal choice for increasing natural light in the home.
Raybender® Technology captures low-angle morning and late-afternoon light while rejecting glare from the harsh midday sun, making it ideal for reducing eye strain.
Spectralight® Infinity Tubing, Solatube’s innovative reflective system, is the world’s most reflective daylighting material.
Delivers near-perfect colour rendering (CRI 99), allowing your eyes to see true colours effortlessly.
Diffusers spread light evenly, eliminating glare, flicker, hotspots, and harsh shadows. This is crucial for reducing the contrast imbalance between screens and surroundings, which is one of the leading causes of digital eye strain.
Solatube’s skylights provide:
Flicker-free illumination (your eyes maintain stable focus)
Optimised brightness without UV or heat
Balanced, natural-spectrum light that supports visual comfort
Improved reading and working conditions, especially in interior rooms
Studies have shown that having full-spectrum daylight improves cognitive performance, helps reduce visual fatigue and enhances focus. By installing a Solatube skylight, you can transform spaces that would otherwise rely on artificial lighting and prevent eye strain.
Solatube skylights instantly transform areas that typically strain your eyes, such as:
These spaces are typically hard to reach and do not have access to external walls or windows. Solatube skylights require minimal structural changes and are highly reflective, channelling sunlight into even the darkest corners of the home.
Increasing daylight in the home is the foundation of reducing eye strain, but healthy habits matter too. Try combining these with improved lighting for the best results.
Relieving eye strain in the long term isn’t just about taking more breaks from digital screens; it’s about improving the quality of light around you. Bright, balanced daylight helps support comfortable vision throughout the day and protects your eyes from overstraining. By improving the light in your home through natural light, you can create a healthier environment that supports and protects your eyes over time.
Solatube skylights, whether for the home or commercial spaces, offer proven benefits of natural light all day. This not only enhances visual comfort but also contributes to better overall wellness and productivity. Connect with our premier dealers or daylighting specialists to brighten your space and protect your eyes today.
Resources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/effective-tips-for-reducing-eye-strain
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