Glare happens because of the way light reflects off surfaces. When there’s glare, there’s usually a lot of squinting. And when there’s a lot of squinting, eyes get tired. So get rid of it.
The easiest way to control glare when speed reading, is to control the source of light that’s causing it. You can also take steps to adjust any surfaces that are reflecting the light. And you can filter the source of light before it has a chance to reach your eyes. Address all of these issues and you will have greatly reduced and possibly even eliminated one of the biggest triggers of eye fatigue.
When it comes to light sources, most glare is caused by direct light. So whenever possible, try to use reflected sources instead. Also, be sure to use lampshades or globes to help diffuse or soften the amount of light coming from desk lamps, table lamps and ceiling lights.
If the light comes from outdoors, diffuse the source by covering your windows with curtains or plastic blinds. Wooden blinds and metal blinds aren’t as good of a covering because they may reflect the light and cause more glare.
If you’re reading at a desk, it’s important to learn that any shiny surfaces on or around your desk will also reflect light and cause you to squint. It’s true! So you need to get to work covering up all those shiny surfaces. Try placing a glare filter over your computer monitor and a desk calendar or something else across the top of your desk that makes the desk surface duller. You may have to move or remove your photos and anything else that’s causing glare.
The way you position your work area also determines whether you attract or reduce glare. Whenever you are looking straight at the light source, like when your reading desk faces a window, you will always have more glare. What you need to do instead is position your work surface so that it’s at a 90 degree angle to the light source whether that source is a window, a lamp or something else.
If you’ve tried all this and glare is still a problem, don’t give up! There are other steps you can take. If you can’t stop light from coming in, you can always stop it from reaching your eyes. All you have to do is cover your eyes with polarized lenses.
Even if you don’t need glasses to correct your vision, it may be time to visit an eye doctor. He or she can help you select a pair of glasses that have been specially designed to reduce glare.
Remember, glare is a common problem and a major cause of eye strain. Solutions are out there but the only way you’ll find them if you go hunting for them.
And speaking of hunting, don’t laugh, but glasses specifically designed for shooting or hunting are also very effective at stopping glare before it reaches your eyes!
It doesn’t matter how you look, or how your speed reading environment looks. When it comes to glare, what matters most is eliminating it so you can eliminate the problem of eye fatigue!
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