Installing motion or occupancy sensors in transitional areas is an easy way to maintain ambient light as you move about the house without constantly turning on lights. With today’s smart home advances, there are applications that can adapt the level of light to the body’s natural circadian rhythm and even read the surrounding lighting levels.

Natural daylighting — from windows, skylights, and glass doors — is a form of ambient lighting. While natural lighting will supplement your lighting plan, do not rely on it exclusively. A breakfast room or nook may be used consistently at 7:00 a.m., but there will be much less natural light in the winter than at the peak of summer. Overcast days can also occur any day of the year, blocking the sun’s more direct rays.

To eliminate glare, consider installing window film. As a bonus, many types of window film can help block UV rays and will help keep your house cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

Task lighting is focused on a specific area to make the completion of visual tasks easier. For example, under-cabinet lighting helps in food preparation. In the bathroom, task lighting makes it easier to see when shaving or applying makeup. In both of these cases, the task lighting is installed and positioned in such a way that the light source is stationary.

At a desk, in a workroom, or any other area where task lighting is used, choose a light that can be easily adjusted or pivoted to ensure that it is not casting shadows or causing eye discomfort.

Multi-bulb LED strips or LED tape that mounts or sticks on or inside your kitchen cabinets and pantry are perfect for providing task lighting. Consider adding pendants or multi-light fixtures above your kitchen island to evenly illuminate the entire space. We offer a wide selection of light fixtures for task lighting, no matter the room.

Accent lighting is decorative — the jewelry that adds interest and intrigue to a space. It highlights and brings emphasis to a particular object or feature, such as artwork or architectural features. Accent lighting also includes things like decorative pendant lights hanging over an island in the kitchen, lighting positioned above or inside cabinets, a chandelier mounted above a soaking tub, or toe-kick lighting for low-level lighting in the bathroom during the night.

The chance of falling in dim lighting conditions is two to four times greater. Night lights, or way-finders, are great at night. There are LED installations that fit directly into baseboards and cabinet toe-kicks, providing soft, non-glare lighting. More conventional plug-in models are also available, often in various colors.

Tip: At night, an amber-red light can be easier on the eyes and less disruptive if you’re trying to go back to sleep.

By layering light, you can achieve the perfect balance between practical purposing — like chopping vegetables for dinner — and creating a softer ambiance throughout the rest of the space. A thoughtful lighting plan, regardless of a room’s size, can visually and functionally enhance the space.

Glare happens to everyone. Just think of the placement of your TV or computer screen., Mmost likely there are occasions when you need to make adjustments. With age, glare tends to happen more frequently and is directly related to the eyes’ need for more light to process details. Older eyes also require more time to adjust to changes in levels of brightness.

Reading can be particularly difficult due to glare. If you are reading from a paper source — a book or a magazine — choose a task light that is positioned both above and behind you. A matte or diffused shade is preferable as it will provide for more focused light.

This does not mean that reading from a screen or watching TV requires no lighting. Contrary to popular beliefs, eyes will better adapt to the contrast between the screen and the surrounding lighting conditions with the addition of table lamps or floor lamps.

One of the best ways to reduce glare is to create high but uniform lighting within the space. Indirect lighting, such as cove lighting, wall washers, and torchieres, provide a softer down light. Layered light also helps to minimize the effect of glare.

Terry McGowan, director of engineering  and technology for the American Lighting Association and owner of Lighting Ideas in Cleveland states, "Since eye fatigue occurs more often when we age, the cheapest and best way to accommodate this is to reduce contrast that occurs between light and dark by using up lighting as well as down lighting."

Lighting Tip: Avoid bare or exposed light bulbs and excessively “bling-y” fixtures with reflective glass and crystals.

Lighting your home goes beyond selecting the light fixtures and determining their placement. The colors and finishes you choose for your walls, upholstery, flooring, cabinets, countertops, and everything else impact how well you can see. When you’re younger, an all-white palette may be soothing. To the aging eye, such a subtle, tone-on-tone scheme can be highly troublesome as it becomes more difficult for the eye to distinguish mild contrasts.

A cream-colored wall, white stair railing, and neutral Berber carpet on the stairs could blur together into one continuous color, perhaps with only fuzzy outlines. This can create a hazard for an elderly person missing a step or grasping the wall instead of the hand rail.

We generally try to blend light switches and receptacles into the wall, preferring a more discreet appearance. Swapping receptacle covers to contrast against the wall makes identification and access easier for older residents.

Finishes become more important in terms of how they absorb or reflect light. Glossy, shiny surfaces, such as high sheen floors or tiles, will lead to more light scattering inside the eye and vision difficulty. Matte surfaces are less reflective and will result in minimal glare. Matte surfaces also tend to have more grip and safer underfoot.

Other color considerations: beside your interior colors, consider the different types of light bulbs available. There are different color temperatures (referenced as Kelvins) that typically fall between the range of 2200K to 6500K that can illuminate your space and effect your vision differently. Make sure to reference our Light Bulb Buying Guide  for full insight.

Whether in open or closed plan layouts, layer your lighting, install dimmer switches, and place lights on different circuits so that you can easily play with atmosphere and lighting levels to accommodate activities and time of day. Explore the best lighting for the aging eye by room below.

Layering your lighting is one of the best things you can do to create an inviting and functional living room that’s comfortable for aging eyes. There is no single light fixture that will properly light your entire living room. These helpful tips below can help you get started:

• Layer your lighting by introducing a mixture of ceiling, wall, floor, table, and task lights. It's also important to vary the heights of your light sources throughout the room.

• Include bright task lights as well as softer table lights that are more conducive to conversation.

• Make the lighting work to highlight a fireplace, artwork, or a favorite piece of furniture.

• Place the TV (and any other screens) so that there is no reflected light from either the windows or light fixtures. To further minimize glare, consider applying a non-glare window film to the interior of your windows. This can make the space more pleasant without impacting the view outside or the light coming into the room.

• Dimmers can also be helpful. Lighting can be adjusted as your eyes become more fatigued.
  

The bedroom is a place of relaxation, so it’s important to pick light fixtures that can create a cozy atmosphere. Read our tips below for reducing eye fatigue:

• Place bedside lighting within easy reach of the bed so that the light comes from above and behind you. This will help create the perfect atmosphere for reading. (For a complete guide on bedside light placement, refer to our lamp buying guide).

• An overhead light can be a great decorative feature in a bedroom, but it should not be your only, or even your primary, source of light.

• Downlights around the edges of the room create a nice wall wash and illuminate the room without shining directly into your eyes.

• Install light controls with two or more poles so that you can turn the light on when you enter the room from one switch, and off once you are comfortably settled in bed from a second switch.

• Consider a floor lamp with a pale shade which will create a soft circle of light, perhaps in a small conversation area or near your closet or wardrobe.