Home Office Lighting: Fix Glare Before You Buy a Better Monitor

Aim for 300–500 lux at the desk

Office standards target around 500 lux for reading and detailed work. Most home offices run under 150 lux after dark, which forces your monitor brightness up and your eyes work harder.

The contrast problem

A bright screen against a dark wall is the main cause of evening eye strain. Bias lighting — a soft glow behind the monitor at roughly 6500K — closes the gap and is the cheapest upgrade in this entire guide.

Why a normal lamp fails

A conventional desk lamp throws light forward, and a chunk of it lands on your screen as glare. Screen bars use asymmetric optics that deliberately throw light down and away from the panel.

Colour temperature by time of day

Around 5000–6500K during the day for alertness, 2700–3500K in the evening. Anything that can be scheduled is better than anything you have to remember to change.