Ensuring proper lighting

Increase overall lighting in your home to compensate for your need for more light as you get older. Make sure rooms have uniform lighting from several sources.

�  Position lights appropriately

Concentrate light on close work by using adjustable goose- neck lamps and lights underneath kitchen cabinets. The finer your task, the more light you need. Position lights for reading to shine from over your shoulder. Use lampshades that completely shield the bulb so that light is directed up and down, not into your eyes.

�  Turn down glare

Replace glaring ceiling fixtures with wall or floor lamps that direct light upward. Choose matte surfaces instead of shiny tabletops and highly polished floors that reflect light into your eyes. Select a nonglossy, off-white paint for walls. This type of surface maximizes light in a room without creating glare.

�  Use natural light wisely

Design skylights with light wells that provide reflected light, not direct sunlight. On windows, install blinds that allow you to direct light upward to reflect off the ceiling. This offers uniform illumination and minimizes glare.