Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site ski.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!lll-crg!dual!ptsfa!ski!dr
From: dr@ski.UUCP (David Robins)
Newsgroups: net.med
Subject: Re: Reading in bad light
Message-ID: <190@ski.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 6-Aug-85 13:42:43 EDT
Article-I.D.: ski.190
Posted: Tue Aug  6 13:42:43 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 10-Aug-85 22:57:06 EDT
References: <1528@trwrba.UUCP>
Organization: Smith-Kettlewell Institute, S.F., CA.
Lines: 27

> The recent discussion about Bach's vision prompted me to post.
> 
> This business about vision being damaged by reading in poor light
> has always seemed like an old wive's tale to me.  If you try to 
> take a picture in inadequate light, you get underexposed film.
> No damage to the camera.  Similarly (it seems to me), the retina
> receives an inadequate amount of light to form a sharp image.
> It is not clear that having the pupil dilated "trying" to see
> is harmful.  The lack of light on the retina appears not to be
> harmful, otherwise we'd be in real trouble while we were sleeping!
> Anybody know what's really happening?  Is reading in dim light
> harmful, or just an old wive's tale?

As far as we know (ie. ophthalmologists), reading in dim light does
*not* harm the eyes or the visual system.

It can cause eyestrain, a temporary ocular discomfort which may also
cause pain around the eyes, headaches, neck aches, etc.  This is only
temporary, and disap[ears when the offending activity is curtailed.

-- 
====================================================================
David Robins, M.D. 
Smith-Kettlewell Institute of Visual Sciences
2232 Webster St; San Francisco CA 94115
415/561-1705
			{ihnp4,qantel,dual}!ptsfa!ski!dr