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