Does reading in low light really hurt the eyes?

If you think reading in the dark is a bad habit that can damage your eyesight, get ready to change your mind. According to studies by the British Medical Association, the only damage that reading in dimly lit places can cause is eye fatigue - tiredness caused by forcing the eyes to see better. However, your eyes are not hurt by the effort.

For centuries people have read by candlelight and lanterns and have no eye damage from it. In fact, the opposite has occurred because the problem of myopia - which some claim to accentuate when texts are read in low light - is increasing in many countries, and we now have many more light sources.

However, there are several doctors who advise against any kind of reading in low light, because they say that the habit can damage the eye health. There is no scientific study to support this kind of claim; Reading in excessively bright or dark environments requires eye strain, one more, the other less. They just need to adapt to the amount of lighting in place.

A really relevant fact is that people who read too much or spend all day in front of the computer should rest their eyes every 15 or 30 minutes. When we read, we blink four times more than normal, as we require greater eye strain. Just look at something far away or close your eyes for a few moments to regain the vigor of your vision.