One room, two lights.

The same desk, in the morning and then at night. What the light changes, and what can be adjusted.

  1. The window is the first light fixture in the room. To one side, it limits reflections in the screen.

  2. Turn the screen off and look at what it reflects. Correct the angle before increasing the power.

  3. As daylight fades, ambient light keeps the desk from becoming a bright island in a dark room.

  4. The lamp handles the close work: slightly to the side, forward of the screen, the beam aimed down. It should illuminate the document, not the monitor.

  5. For screen work, INRS puts the good compromise between 3000 and 4000 K. A dimmer then lets you adapt the light to the documents and the rest of the room.

The best setup is one you can adjust quickly.

Read the lighting guideGo to the guide’s selection

Sources

INRS, “Travail sur écran: prévention des risques” (in French), accessed July 25, 2026.

INRS, “Écrans de visualisation: santé et ergonomie” (in French), ED 924.

CCOHS, “Office Ergonomics - Eye Discomfort in the Office”.

CCOHS, “Lighting Ergonomics - Survey and Solutions” and “Lighting Ergonomics - General”.