Have you tried halogen desk lamps where needed? My computer workshop has a main ceiling light I fitted with an 18W 6500K daylight spectrum buld a few years ago, which produces a VERY white light. It's almost too bright to look directly at which in my experience is unusual for a CFL. But it does light up the benches well, and for reading lots of paperwork or working on finely detailed stuff is very good.

I added a 50W 5 foot 6500K fluorescent buld on retracting hangers over the electronics bench last year, which makes working on the really fine pitch stuff much easier, it's like having full sunlight on it all the time. But it does have a similar effect to what you're talking about, which is that the bright bits are REALLY bright, and everything else looks rather dark by comparison. Effectively I end up with a very high contrast room.

If I'm just sitting at the computer and don't need that amount of light, I use a few 20W gooseneck halogen lamps in strategic positions and turn off the main lights. Much easier on the eyes when you don't need clinical lighting. They're around the same colour temperature of those GE bulbs, last a very long time if you don't drop the lamp while it's on and are really cheap.

pca