Easy on the Eyes—Tips to Improve Your Work Area

Whether you bead at the kitchen table or have a totally decked-out jewelry design studio, you must be able to see what you’re doing.

Face it: we are creatures of habit. We sit where we have always sat and work in the same ways we’ve employed for years. We don’t stop to consider that we could make improvements. When was the last time you reviewed your visual comfort level? It could be time to adjust lighting and consider magnifying tools designed to enhance visual acuity and alleviate your eyestrain.

Lighting

Those who study ergonomics (the interface between workers and their environments) report that for up-close work, the strongest lighting should be focused on the project, and this light level should be ten times brighter than the light in the background of the room. To avoid eye fatigue, it helps if the strong lighting on the working area is diffused, such as from a daylight spectrum fluorescent lamp.

There are several models of these types of lamps available, all of which simulate natural light and enable true color matching and the ability to see fine details, which is perfect for beading. Some clamp onto your work surface, others sit on a tabletop. Still others fold up so you can take your lighting on the go—even in your purse!

An alternative to a desktop lamp is this handy gadget by Carson® that rests around the neck. Featuring adjustable arms and a dual-head design fitted with chip-on-board (COB) LEDs for a brightness of 70 combined lumens, this lamp has two light levels for your illumination needs.

Magnification

We've all had moments of wishing we had a third hand. Certain assembly and soldering tasks are safer and easier to do with a tool that can hold and magnify your work-in-progress. A "third hand" tool is surprisingly inexpensive. Once you have one, you'll likely wonder why you didn't get one sooner!

Do you ever find yourself squinting when performing close-up work? Squinting aids in mitigating vision defects and poor focus by altering the light's trajectory to the retina and minimizing glare. But it can also cause headaches and fatigue and promotes wrinkles in the delicate skin around the eye. There is no need to squint! One of any jewelry-making experts' best vision tools is the magnifying headband, as it makes working with tiny components (such as sizes 11 to 15 seed beads or 1.5mm chatons or flat backs) a breeze. An abundance of easy-to-use magnifying devices are readily available. MagniClips® clip-on style lenses can be positioned over eyeglasses or sunglasses.

Ever wish you could have magnification and proper lighting in one tool? Your wish is granted! Carson® makes a magnifier lamp that sits on your work surface and is equipped with four built-in COB LED lights that produce a brighter, higher-quality beam than traditional LED's while consuming less power.

For a more portable option, check out Carson's hand-held magnifier. Like the lamp, it also includes built-in LED lights and 2X magnification.

Take a step back and look at your work area with the discerning eye of an ergonomics engineer. Are there any tweaks you can make to improve the lighting? Is it time for you to investigate the various magnifying tools on the market?

Happy, illuminated creating!