In nearly all Sci-Fi films and series, space and biohazard suits have lights inside the helmet. Why? Don’t the lights refract in your eyes and impair your vision? For sure it looks cool and makes for good cinematography but seems entirely impractical.

I understand that viewers need to see actors emoting to get invested in the story so I propose a compromise- keep the lights but make them voice-activated. Filmmakers will still get that cool shot they’re looking for and the effect will be practical and help to build dramatic tension. Imagine a dark setting with a group of explorers and the helmet lights turn on only when an astronaut speaks. The voice activated light helps identify who is speaking and conserve energy. Keeping the light on all the time impairs vision and is a potential liability in missions requiring stealth, having lights on all the time draws attention that could compromise a mission.