Sunlight
When and where it’s available to you, sunlight (or natural light) is always your best bet. Nature’s light works best because it is “full spectrum,” meaning that it contains all the visible colors of light in equal amounts. This results in a warm, pleasing light that fully illuminates any environment.
Pros: The best, most natural light source that exists; brings out excellent contrast; good for all outdoor and indoor tasks.
Cons: Not always constant or reliable (clouds don’t respect your schedule); hard to control—changes in the amount of light can be sudden and dramatic, which can cause pain and other problems for eyes that have difficulty adjusting to lighting changes; can produce outdoor and indoor glare and shadows.
Tips:
- Lattices, adjustable blinds and sheer panel curtains are great for reducing sunlight without shutting it off completely.
- Sunglasses or hats with visors limit the amount of light that enters the eye.
- Keep windows as clean as possible.
- Minimize glare by using window tinting, blinds, or curtains. You can also reduce glare by working with your back to the window.
- Change the times at which you do certain tasks, e.g., chop vegetables at 2 pm rather than 5 pm.
Bottom line: Natural light is always your best alternative so long as you have the means to control it.