The Best Lighting for the Elderly with Bad Eyesight

Everyday activities can become a challenge for the elderly whose homes lack proper lighting. Older people require more light to see, and choosing the right lighting source requires considering glare and contrast. Without proper lighting, even walking around a home can be dangerous for the elderly person.

More Light

• Senior citizens require more light when reading.

  As eyes age, pupils become smaller. Consequently, less light hits the retina, which sends visual information to the brain. While a 20-year-old may be able to read inside a dimly lit coffee shop, the elderly person will require more light to see well.

Reduce Glare

• Reduce glare by covering windows.

  It is important to reduce glare when considering proper lighting, as glare can have a blinding effect on older eyes. Common sources of glare include sunlight coming through windows and reflecting off mirrors. The use of indirect lighting -- like hanging window coverings such as blinds and drapes -- is one way to decrease problems with glare.

Natural Light is Best

• Natural light -- and artificial lighting that simulates natural sunlight -- is best. Eighty percent of Vitamin D is produced in the skin of a healthy human body when exposed to natural light. Of course, when providing natural lighting in the home, consider glare. Depending on the time of day, sunlight streaming from windows may be more or less intense and should be modified. Several artificial lighting sources simulate natural light.

Providing Contrast

• Colored tape -- or painted edges -- can add contrast to stairs, improving visibility.

  In addition to needing adequate lighting, some senior citizens struggle with contrast between objects. This makes it harder to see the edges of things like steps and chair seats. It is helpful to provide contrast between the floor and surrounding objects to improve safety. Placing brightly colored tape on the edges of steps -- or simply painting the edges a different color, so that design follows function -- is one way to provide a visual cue to older eyes.