Reading in the Dark

A common phrase we've all likely heard at some time or another is that reading in the dark (or poor lighting) is bad for your eyes.  Is that really true?  I often find my daughters reading in poor lighting and I always tell them to turn a light on so they can see better.  I've never told them it's bad for their eyes to read in the dark, but I tell them because I find it odd that they choose to read in the dark.  :-)

Since I wasn't sure if reading in the dark is bad for your eyes, I decided to do a bit of research to find the truth.  It took a 30 second Google search to learn that one shouldn't worry if they consistently read in the dark.  Reading in the dark can strain your eyes and potentially cause headaches, but it doesn't weaken your vision.

Myths About Your Eyes and Vision

So let your kids read in the dark if they want.  I find it weird, but there's no damage done, so no worries.