Hey all...

I usually end up sewing late at night, or at least puttering around in my sew room. Lately, I've discovered that my eyes hurt after a while. This doesn't happen to me elsewhere in the house, it's not because I'm watching my sewing machine for HOURS on end.... it happens all the time in that room, even when I'm moving from side to side, up from my chairs or down, reading, then sewing, then getting things out of the cabinets. Just happens...

My main overhead light is glass enclosed ceiling fan fixture, to which I've put the natural daylight, CFL bulbs...60watt x 3. Then I have area specific task lights (Otts) that I turn on when I'm using that area/machine in my room. My room is not 'dark', in fact it's quite bright with all that.

So two nights ago, I dragged a halogen torchere light into the room and turned it on (along with my others lights). Bingo... my eyes registered a marked 'color' difference in the roomlight... and I haven't found myself with aching eyes since i did that.

Do any of you use JUST natural daylight bulbs (OTT Lites and their similar counterparts, Natural CFLs) only? How do they work for you? Or do you find that you can 'tell' the color difference and need to 'mix' your lights to relieve eye strain?

It's really curious...

I use a combination of CFL and the old fashioned incandesence. My eyes get tired quickly, but that's because of the double vision, nearsightedness and astigmatism. I really have to work to see!

The bottom line is that you need use the best lighting for you.

i always have an incandescent light on along with my OTT light. it helps the eyes.

In my 20x20 art and sewing studio I have 9 fixtures (3 bulbs each) natural daylight fluorescent bulbs. With no windows, I have perfect lighting night or day! Don't know how old you are, but when I was getting cataracts, the daylight bulbs showed all white as green. After surgery, the colors were perfect.

Well I'll be darned, you learn something new everyday. Thanks for the heads up, might take care of my headaches, changing bulbs ASAP.

i don't like the light that the CFLs put out...My BigLots version of the Ott Light is fine - but the rest of the room has GE Reveal bulbs.

I'm looking forward to LED bulbs becoming more affordable -

The little bright lite that goes on the side of my machine is a life (and eye) saver to me. The light is so bright and you can shine it exactly where you want, right on your stitches. Try it.

I have one of those too... it's great. Sometimes in the way, but mostly great!

I sew late at night too but have never had eye problems. I have astigmatism, and am near and far-sighted (one eye is near and one is far). I have to wear my glasses for everything but using the computer. I have an OTT light near my sewing machine and a faux OTT light over my cutting area. I do have a mixture of bulbs in the room so maybe that is what is helping me. I have an overhead light/fan that I never use. I do not like overhead lights like that. I would like to add some halogen lights, as I prefer them over everything else.

I have one of those Big Lots lights & love them. I like them better than Otts. I have 2 ott lights sitting in there unused. But my other swing arm lamp has a day light bulb in it & that helps me out alot too.

I have to take the globe off of our ceiling fan and have only an ugly bulb showing so I can see anything in my room! It could be how your pupils are dilating with the Ott lite lights? DH just had to get glasses with a slight tint in them because his pupils are not dilating in certain fluorescent lighted areas and he was getting migraines. No more with his new glasses :0)

I've used "daylight spectrum" lamps for several years & have 3 floor lamps. I find when I'm getting tired, switching them on helps tremendously. I've even got one that clamps on & has a magnifier built in & use it often for fine, close work. I got all of mine online, from www.firststreet.com (formerly Techno Scout), as Ott lights were so expensive. In my sewing room (overhead light w/ fan) & in regular lamps where I read or sew, I use "Reveal" bulbs (slightly blue looking), to keep colors true. When you buy your lamp, be sure to buy an extra bulb; even tho they last a long time, they may be hard to find when you need to replace it.

i had never thought of it like that will have to check it out

Correction: Not that it really matters, but there are 2 full-spectrum bulbs in each fixture. I bought a contractor case of bulbs from one of the home supply companies at excellent price - and they last a very long time and save energy.