The eyes plays a vital part in the nervous system by allowing a person to see. Eyes use light as a means of detecting information and relaying it to the brain. 

Kids with sensory processing issues may be under-sensitive or over-sensitive to visual stimulation. This makes them perceive visual stimuli that may affect their daily activities like sleeping, reading and playing differently. 

Visual sensitivity disorder refers to the reduced ability of the brain to make sense of information taken through the eyes. Also known as photophobia, visual sensitivity can happen due to other underlying symptoms in the body.

Conditions causing visual sensitivity

  • Dry eyes
  • Albinism
  • Autism spectrum disorders
  • Meningitis
  • Migraines
  • Conversion disorder/functional neurological
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Post-concussion and concussion syndrome
  • Chronic headache disorder
  • Auto-immune diseases eg. Lupus, 
  • Glaucoma
  • Lyme disease
  • Retinal and corneal diseases

Symptoms of Visual Sensitivity

  • Eye pain
  • Eyes squinting and strain
  • Migraines or headache on exposure
  • Eye inflammation
  • Watery eyes
  • Dizziness or vertigo
  • Intolerance of light
  • Excessive blinking

Types of Light that causes eye sensitivity

Any light has the potential of aggravating photophobia in a child with eye sensitivity. However, some light sources do worsen or trigger visual sensitivity than others. Direct sunlight, fluorescent lighting, mobile device screens and computers may make things worse for your child with sensitive eyes. 

  • The brightness of the light may trigger eye sensitivity causing migraines.
  • Flashing and flickering light have high visual contrast that, when picked up by a person with visual sensitivity may cause seizures. 
  • The wavelength or color of the light may cause pain in the eyes and especially blue light found in fluorescent lighting.

Home Lighting

When considering your home lighting, it’s essential to take measures that reduce visual stimuli and lessens the effect of color and flash. Ensure your window and roofing brings in natural light to your house. Natural light has excellent health benefits that benefit the eyes. When the natural light enters your eyes, it goes to the hypothalamus helps to regulate and control the body clock and circadian rhythm.

also read about teer result today

Windows 

Windows remain the most obvious way to allow natural light to come into your home. Modern and functional windows placed in strategic places in the home helps to reduce the need for using artificial lighting. 

Using window film helps to block ultraviolet rays of sunlight that may increase visual sensitivity. Window film decreases excessive light streaming through that may cause eye pain and sensitivity. Reducing sunlight glare also improves your child’s eye ability to focus and see an object, enhancing depth perception.  

Roofing

Painting the overhangs created by the roof, known as eaves, may help to reflect natural light into your rooms. Painting the eaves white helps to attract and boost natural light eliminating the need to use artificial lighting. 

Using sun tunnels, light tubes, and solar tubes help to channel sunlight from the roof down to your room through the reflective cylinder at the ceiling. The sunlight shines through the room’s interior, preventing direct effects to the eyes. 

Additionally, the sun tunnels help to reduce the negative impact associated with direct sun rays reflection on your child’s eyes. The roof sun tunnels light indirectly shines in the room, thus lowering the eye-burning and visible tiredness, making it easy for your child to study, play, and rest comfortably. Furthermore, it makes the color shades that may affect your child’s visual become better through magnifying and perceiving more color. Roof tunnel also makes the lightning of the room optically bigger and more significant. 

Using skylights allows the natural light to have direct entrance to your rooms using the translucent glass. Skylights come in a variety of configurations and sizes that enable them to capture the sunlight and moonlight. 

Cool roofs help to reflect more sunlight to your home while absorbing less heat. Cool roofs can easily be made through roof coating, by using a high and reflective type of paint and a sheet covering, or using reflective shingles and tiles. Using roof coating granules helps to provide a better solar reflectance preventing excessive sun rays from penetrating your home.

Consider an Open Home Design

Removing the barriers that can affect light distribution through an open floor concept plan helps to make your child more comfortable. Removing the non-load bearing walls helps a person with visual sensitivity to preview the space before they enter hence preventing straining of the eyes. 

Pay Attention to Colors

Different colors have different effects on a child with visual sensitivity since they may increase or decrease wavelength. Red and yellow colors have the most extended wavelength hence stimulating the pulse rate and affecting the brain coordination to eyes while light blue gives a calmer effect to the mind aiding in concentration. Some colors may have lighting effects when displayed directly to artificial and natural lights. Decorating different rooms with contrasting and straightforward colors and using colored tape may help to highlight different places in the house.

Lighting at Night

During the night, it’s advisable to use colored light bulbs or compact fluorescent lamps since they have a softer glow. Investing in multi-head lamps will also prevent direct light glare. For a younger child, you can invest in projecting lamps or night-light to help them sleep well. Big windows and skylights may reflect full moon lightning to the rooms preventing usage of artificial lights.

Conclusion

Visual sensitivity can interfere with your child’s everyday life. Modifying your home by preventing excessive artificial lightning and embracing natural lightning makes the child more comfortable. Proper lighting enables your child to do their daily activities without straining their eyes.Â