Office work can be very intense and demanding and requires good lighting to ensure maximum comfort and productivity.

A working environment needs to be properly illuminated so that all printed, handwritten or displayed documents are clearly visible. Excessively high levels of light which may cause glare should be avoided.

Poor lighting may be the cause of certain health issues related to eyes such as eye strain, eye irritation, blurred vision, dry burning eyes and headaches.

Poor lighting may also result in other types of injuries. Under poor lighting conditions we might be required to adopt an inappropriate posture in order to read something. This may contribute to stiff necks and aches in the shoulder area. Also, exposure to glare usually causes us to lean forward or backward in an attempt to compensate which contributes to other musculoskeletal injuries.

Other factors that may cause eye discomfort are:

• Poor lighting due to unchanged levels of illumination
• Glare from the unshaded or un-diffused lighting fixtures
• Maintaining a close and fixed visual contact for a long period of time
• Working in an environment with unsuitable dimensions and arrangement
• Uncorrected vision problems
• Low ambient humidity
• Lack of colour variety