My mum says that if I read under the bedclothes using a torch (flashlight) I will damage my eyesight. I told her that鈥檚 a myth, but am I right?
鈥im light makes us strain our eyes more than in normal lighting because our eye muscles receive mixed signals. It encourages the eye to relax and let in as much light as possible through a large pupil, but also encourages it to contract the pupil to maintain a focused image.
On top of that, the more dim the light, the lower the contrast between letters and the paper on which they are written, hence our eyes have to work harder to distinguish words on the page. All that results in our eyes becoming tired more quickly than in normal lighting conditions, leading to itchy, dry eyes 鈥� through reduced blinking as your eyes try to focus 鈥� blurred vision and headaches.
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You may also get back and neck aches because under the bedclothes with a torch in your hand is not really the most comfortable position for reading. However, all of these symptoms eventually go away and none of them can damage your eyesight permanently.
鈥淯nder the bedclothes with a flashlight in your hand is not the most comfortable position for reading鈥�
Joanna Jastrzebska, Auckland, New Zealand
When I was 11, I often used to read under the covers with a torch. My mum also told me it would damage my eyesight. I鈥檓 now 53 and, apart from the inevitable onset of , my eyesight remains very good. However, by the time I was 13 I had persuaded my mum to be more relaxed about the time at which I went to sleep, so I could read with the light on.
Andrew Fogg, Sandy, Bedfordshire, UK