Lighting for Reading

''THE issue with lighting these days is that lights are particular, '' says Paul Marantz, a lighting expert at Jules Fisher & Paul Marantz Inc. in Manhattan. ''The glowing light that Grandma's silk-shaded floor and table lamps provided made good reading light. But this lamp is no longer popular.''

The solution to locating a reading lamp just isn't fundamentally to re-create Grandma's parlor. The important thing is know what helps make the eye comfortable and minimum fatigued when reading and to position a light aided by the right shade and bulb within appropriate height and perspective.

''Eyes differ as we grow older, '' states Dr. Alan Jay Friedman, clinical assistant teacher of ophthalmology at ny University clinic. ''The older you get, the more light you need to review by.'' Dr. Eleanor Faye, the ophthalmological manager for the Lighthouse for the Blind minimal Vision Service, claims: ''The eye's importance of even more light to read through by increases one percent annually. When you are 10, you'll review by 40 watts or extremely little light. By the time you're 60, you'll need around 100 watts.''

But the physicians warn that a lot of light or glare is simply as bad as too little light. ''When light glares from extremely reflective surfaces, it's fatiguing and especially troubling for the elderly with cataracts and retina problems, '' Dr. Faye says. Shaded lamps slice the glare and focus and modulate the light.

''what you need is a well-lit room where in actuality the reading area is illuminated by a substantial, centered pool of light, in addition to surrounding area by comfortable ambient lighting effects, '' states Jo Anne Lindsley, the burning expert at Synergy Consultants Inc. in New york. ''everything wouldn't like is high contrast between your area in which you're reading together with far end associated with the room, '' says Carroll Cline of Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design in Manhattan. ''The eye always wanders from the printed web page and returns. Given that attention drifts from a brightly lit area to a dark, shadowy one, it dilates into the darkness. In a high-contrast situation, the eye becomes fatigued.'' While there are many methods to light a space, professionals believe that certain forms of shaded lamps are best for reading.

Of all the shades offered, burning experts concur that a clear color is considered the most comfortable for reading. It focuses light straight down for reading additionally diffuses it up and laterally to light the roof and adjacent wall space. ''A shade must be as clear as possible minus the light bulb it self being visible, '' Mr. Cline says.

''the standard silk color modulated light beautifully, '' claims Mr. Marantz, ''because the transmission of light was reasonable, neither too brilliant nor also low.'' However, if silk shades are too expensive or inappropriate, there are clear colors made from less expensive materials such parchment, fiberglass or linen.

In cup colors, ''most made of obvious, opal or sand-blasted glass transmit too much light, '' Mr. Marantz claims, ''while amber or green cup shades lined in white milk glass provide only 'down' light. These colored tones can not light a-room, but could work as reading lights, specifically on desks.'' However, an opaque tone is less efficient than a translucent color because it doesn't throw light sideways.