This research project focuses on finding the preferred light quality for the visually impaired elderly for dining scenarios. It proposes a new design solution with estimated values for multilayered lightings, such as ambient lighting and task lamps. The two research questions are formulated:

“What lighting qualities are required by the visually impaired elderly for dining?”

“How can different lighting qualities support the individual needs of partially sighted elderly during meal time?”

The project research was done on-site with elderly partially sighted living in Solgaven adult day care center in Farum, Denmark, and Aalborg University lighting laboratory in Copenhagen. Various methodologies, including the Interview and observation methodology by James Spredley, were used along with the Kevin Houser model and Design Theories to work with the necessary light qualities. Analysis of luminance maps, material analysis, illuminance measurements, and phenomenological and ethnographic observations enabled a better understanding of the needs of the visually impaired.
Through the semi-structured interviews and experiments on site done in two seasons from The First Stage occurred from September 2022 until December 2022, and the second from February 2023 until May 2023, the approximate recommended values of light quality were found for AMD, Glaucoma, and Cataract disease. The research showed that those with Glaucoma and Cataracts require two-layer lighting, including table lamps and ambient light while some of the participants specifically only require stronger ambient lighting.
The visually impaired showed a clear need for different tunable lighting with a big focus on the quality of light rather than intensity. Even though residents have the same disease, they have different needs when it comes to lighting for dining. The measured lighting qualities (illuminance, reflection from the plate, CCT, CRI) of the portable table lamp on the plate surface during Design Experiment II in Solgaven canteen shows how different the values become depending on the angle and height of the light. In contrast, the preferences depend on the eye disease. According to gathered analyzed data from an experiment with eight participants, the visually impaired suffering from AMD prefer brighter light than the others.
According to the analyzed data, the values of the light bulb recommended for each disease:

AMD: 800 - 1500 lm, CCT 2700 - 3000 K, CRI 90;
Cataract: 900 - 1500 lm, CCT 3000 - 5000 K, CRI 90;
Glaucoma: 800 - 1500 lm, CCT 2700- 3000 K, CRI 90;
Damage of the brain’s occipital lobe: 400 lm, CCT 2700 K, CRI 80-90.