Can You Harm Your Eyes by Reading in the Dark ?

Reading in the dark can make your eyes tired. But it won’t cause permanent damage. In fact, very few things can actually harm your eyes. You may have been warned about lots of things that can supposedly hurt your vision. Muscle strain can happen when you work a muscle very hard. You may get strained leg muscles after a long run. And you may get strained eye muscles after making an effort to read in the dark.

Reading in dim light or doing lots of close-up work can bring on eyestrain.

When you have eye strain your eyes will feel tired. The muscles circling your eyes may ache. Eyestrain can lead to a headache. It can also cause watery or dry eyes. If you feel these symptoms, it’s a sign that you should take a break from whatever you are doing. If you’re reading in a room with dim lights, turn on a lamp. For reading in bed, try a small light with an adjustable neck. This lets you shine light right where you need it. If you’re concentrating really hard on close-up work, give your eye muscles a rest. Try closing your eyes for a minute. Or try staring off into the distance for a while.