The importance of good lighting

Thomas Pocklington Trust is keen to work with health, social care and housing practitioners to emphasise the need for action on good lighting at home.

Lighting matters

Compared to other people, people with visual impairments often need more light to see clearly. People aged over 60 need three times more light than people under 20. Lighting needs are affected by eye condition, ageing of the eye, lifestyles and preferences. For most people, more light and less glare make the most of sight and lighting.

• 1 in 8 people aged over 75 have serious sight loss; more have failing sight
• 2 million people in the UK have low vision affecting their performance of everyday tasks
• 65,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with low vision each year
• eye conditions that limit sight include macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and cataracts
• with age, changes to the eye increase sensitivity to glare, difficulty of adapting to changing light levels, and make contrast and colour harder to discern.

Good lighting

Good lighting generally involves:

• more light (except for people with photophobia)
• less glare
• independent switches and dimmer switches that can adjust light levels for individual needs
• more and better colour contrasts
• consistent light levels across and between rooms.

Good lighting is simple to arrange, generally low cost and always cost effective in reducing risks and increasing independence.