The reflex when a workspace feels dim is to add brightness. In a room with a screen, that reflex often makes the screen harder to see, because brightness adds contrast at the edges of the field of view rather than on the thing being read.
Where the discomfort comes from
Glare that causes complaints is usually reflected glare from a surface in the field of view, or a bright source at the edge of vision. Both are produced by placing a high-output lamp in front of or beside the user at eye height.
The ratio, not the level
Comfortable visual conditions depend on the ratio between the task, the immediate surround and the background. A screen at 120 cd/m² in a surround at 25 cd/m² is comfortable. The same screen in a surround at 3 cd/m², with the only bright object being the monitor and a lamp head, is not.
| Situation | Common fix | Better fix |
|---|---|---|
| Screen brighter than the room | Turn the screen down | Add ambient light behind the desk |
| Lamp head in peripheral vision | Move the lamp | Shield the source or use asymmetry |
| Reflections in a gloss screen | Tilt the monitor | Move the lamp behind the screen line |
| Bright window opposite | Close the blind | Use a blind plus a task lamp to reduce contrast |
Position beats power
Place the head below eye level and to the side, or behind the plane of the monitor. Both positions remove the source from the field of view while keeping the work surface lit.
Flicker and the invisible complaint
Some people are sensitive to flicker in a driver before they consciously notice it, and describe the result as tiredness rather than as flicker. A driver with a proper output stage and a dimming method that does not chop the current is worth specifying for anyone who spends a full day at the screen.
The specification that works for screens
Moderate output, adjustable and shielded head, a dimmer, and a warm-to-neutral colour temperature between 3000K and 4000K. Then add ambient light to the room so the screen is not the brightest object on the desk by a factor of ten.
Sourcing lamps for your business?
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