ARE LED LIGHTS BAD FOR YOUR EYES- ULTIMATE GUIDE!
Are all LED lights bad for your eyes? If yes, then why? If no, then which LED light colors are best for your eyes?
Get to know a lot more regarding the query of LED lights for your eyes in this today’s ultimate guide!
So, let’s get started!
ARE LED LIGHTS BAD FOR YOUR EYES?
The answer to your query: “Can led lights hurt your eyes?” is a big YES!
The Light Emitting Diode-LED lights can be harmful to your eyes because of the blue light they emit, said Rishi Singh, MD the Ophthalmologist.
LED lights not only damage your retina but also disturbs natural sleeping rhythms according to the France government health-run.
According to a report some LED lights can cause visual fatigue, headaches, and disturbed biological rhythms.
Because of the higher accident risks LED lights cause, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) advices the automobile manufacturers to limit the luminosity of vehicle headlights as a few are found too bright.
A normal exposure to less potent LED lights is fine but ANSES warned in a statement that recurrent exposure to powerful and intense LED lights is phototoxic that’ll diminish the vision sharpness, and will cause an irreversible loss to retina cells.
WARNING: LED lights will cause irreversible damage to eyes, expert says!
WHICH LED LIGHT COLORS DAMAGE YOUR EYES?
Overexposure to any LED light color can damage your eyes health. The intensity of the damage depends on the color spectrum of the light color you’re exposed to.
The color spectrum of a light defines its unique wavelength. For example blue light is with short wavelengths whereas red light has long wavelengths.
Therefore, depending on the wavelength each color can have different impact on the eyes.
In LED lights, the blue, green, and yellow light colors can cause worst effects if eyes are overexposed to them.
Over exposure to a constant light puts your eyes under extreme constant strain. That stress and strain not only damages your eye health but it also badly effects your nervous system.
This is the reason why you fail to sleep well on a day where you spent your entire time watching TV or using cell phone.
Therefore, it’s advisable not to keep your eyes under a constant strain caused by LED lights.
Blue LED Light- The Real Threat to Your Eyes Health!
Where there is good, there is bad.
In a light spectrum blue light is a beneficial part that helps regulate biological clocks. What more is, blue light helps in dealing with a depression that results from lack of daylight known as SAD. That blue light therapy is used as an antidepressant in SAD.
The good that blue light causes may be diminished by an overexposure to it. And the main cause of overexposure to blue light is a regular use of LEDs, fluorescent bulbs, and digital devices.
In a case where blue light freshens the mood and boost attention, a night exposure to blue light is harmful.
HOW?
The reduced melatonin secretion:
Reduced and delayed production of melatonin because of blue light exposure can cause problems like:
- Insomnia
- Blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Migraine headaches
- Retinal stress and toxicity
Disrupted circadian rhythm of sleepiness and alertness:
Overexposure to blue light disturbs the circadian rhythms of sleepiness and alertness that may cause harms like:
- Memory inefficiency
- Memory losses
- Recurrent mood swings
- Hormonal imbalance
What to do then?
THE PRECAUTIONERY MEASUREMENTS!
As blue light is not that bad, but overexposure to it can cause issues. In that light American Optometric Association states that overexposure to blue light from devices like cellphones, tablets, and some LED lights has shown to induce damage.
They added, long exposure to these sources and sunlight also can also lead to eye damage, especially in teenage years with no eye protectors.
They said, all these light sources have one thing in common and that is the shorter wavelength.
Therefore, in such harms it’s better to take measurements that can reduce the amount of negative effects of blue light.
A few are:
- Lower the time you spent in front of blue light production devices like smart phones, computer screens, high intensity LED lights etc.
- In case, if you’ve to sit in front of a computer screen all day long the best remedial measure you can take is the “screen filter” that reduces the harmful impacts of blue light.
- The best substituent of LED lights and white fluorescent tubes are incandescent lamps or halogen lights and warm white tubes.
- You can minimize the negative effects of blue light by reducing the usage of tablets, laptops, computers, and cellphones before bed time. It’s advisable not to use these products during bed time.
Be Aware: The commonly used “Black light” in night clubs and bars gives off potentially harmful blue light, so beware!!!
THE EFFECTS OF GREEN AND YELLOW LED LIGHTS ON EYES
Apart from blue LED light, other LED light colors that can cause adverse effects on your eyes health are yellow and green LED lights.
The Green LED Light:
Although a green color light helps regulate your circadian rhythm but an overexposure to it at night, as of blue light, can cause harms like:
- Disturbed circadian rhythms
- Disrupted biological clock off from the natural rhythm
- Stressed eye muscles
THE YELLOW LED LIGHT – GOOD OR BAD? KNOW THE FACT!
Yellow light is NOT BAD for your eyes and overall health. It’s just a myth or can be rumor. In fact, yellow light has proven eye-health benefits.
It’s proven effective in protecting the patient’s retinas that are overexposed to blue light.
Furthermore, the best way to get rid of excessive blue light from screen devices, it’s better to use the sunglasses with yellow lenses. They not only help in filtering out the blue light but UV radiations too.
FUN FACT:
With age, a yellowish ting appears in the eye lens. It’s a natural remedy to protect eyes from blue light by filtering it out!
HOW LED LIGHTS DAMAGE YOUR EYE HEALTH?
UV light produced by sun and fluorescent tube lights, and form of cool light “the blue light” produced by screens are harmful for eyes in extended and high doses.
Blue light in LED lightings cause stress and strain to eye muscles leading to different health issues like blur sight, lack of concentration, severe headaches, dullness and fatigue.
Therefore, it’s advisable to lower the use of blue light sources i.e. a few LED lightings, tablets, cellphones computer screens etc.
So, which color of LED should be best for your eyes? Let’s get that in detail!
WHICH LED LIGHT COLOR AND LIGHTING IS BEST FOR EYES?
Health expert says that that LED lighting with warm color tones are best for the eyes health. These are the colors formed by mixing a primary with a secondary color. Red, yellow and orange are warm colors as they evoke natural warmth sun and fire.
These were the LED light colors you should consider installing in addition to warm white.
Now, let’s see which kind lighting is considered best for your eyes! Would it be good to go with LED lighting or you should consider something else?
Let’s see!
Considering your eye-health in mind, the best light tones to go with should be softer and warmer. They sooth the eyes, and relax eye-muscles as compared to cool and bright light.
- To maintain your eye health, the kind of lighting considered best to live and work with is the NATURAL LIGHT- the natural source of warm light.
- The artificial warm light sources could be incandescent bulbs or LED bulbs. These sources are most preferred as both are energy efficient.
- Full spectrum light bulbs is another great choice as these bulbs mimic the natural warm lighting of the sun without the inclusion of harmful UV rays.
How to know which bulb offers warm light?
The ratings in a light bulb are in wattage, lumens, and Kelvin.
Lumen: Refers to the bulb’s brightness level.
Wattage: Refers to the power of the bulb.
Kelvin: This rating help you in determining the color and type of the light bulbs produces.
So, when looking for a bulb with warm light, the number you would consider should be the Kelvin ratings. Lower the Kelvin rating, warmer the light would be!
This would lower the harm, fatigue, and stress on your eyes as compared to cool bright light tones.
PROS AND CONS OF USING LED LIGHTS
Pros:
The top ten advantages of using LED lighting are:
- They are energy-efficient.
- A good quality LED light lasts for long for up to fifty thousand hours.
- LED lights lit up instantly, therefore no warm-up period is required.
- LED lights are not effected by cold temperatures, instead they even work in sub-zero degrees.
- You can easily direct the LED light to the area you want.
- LED lights are more vibrant, colors stay truer, and longer.
- LED lights are environment friendly.
- They are easy to adjust whether it’s the color or brightness level.
LED bulbs although expensive than the incandescent bulbs, but they’ll help you in long run by using less energy and requiring less change-outs.
Cons:
It’s true that LED lights cause more harm than good, but this statement doesn’t implies to the new modern LED technology.
The common hazards lies in the old and new LED technologies are:
- Overexposure to LED lights can damage eyes.
- The quality effect of things changes when they are observed under LED lights as compared to incandescent bulbs.
- High temperature effects the working and condition of LED lights.
- Cool white LEDs can possibly cause blue light pollution.
- If the voltage level falls under the standard voltage level of the LED bulbs, poor light performance results.
LED lights are expensive than incandescent bulbs.
LED LIGHT COLOR TEMPERATURE AND YOUR EYES HEALTH
“According to experts high color temperatures harms the eyes by damaging the retina.”
In that regard, experts suggest to use the three-primary-color light source lighting equipments. The three primary colors are red, green and blue.
WHY SO?
This is because the primary color lightings offer the characteristic uniform soft bright light, with no glares and no flickers.
Therefore, if you consider your health first, it’s advisable to use LED lighting equipments of primary colors.
The Color Temperature and LED Lights:
The most common indicator of light source spectral quality is the color temperature.
- Warm light is with low color temperature.
- Cold light has a high color temperature.
Factors Increasing the Emission of Blue Light:
The color temperature: The emission of blue light radiations increases as the color temperature rises.
The brightness level: Greater the brightness of bulb, more will be the emission of blue light radiations.
Fun Fact: LED lamps and fluorescent bulbs with high color temperature but with a low brightness level are harmless.
Caution: LED lamps and lights with high brightness level emit blue light in an amount that exceeds the safe value.
And Now Here is a GOOD NEWS!
As LED technology progresses, there’s no left need to blindly increase the power of lamps and color temperature to get high luminosity or brightness level.
This progress in LED tech objectively reduce the possibility of the extra-harmful photogenic blue light.
Why Blue Light, The Biggest Threat to Eyes?
In a blue light band of 400-500 nanometers, the witchy blue light falls that causes more harm than good.
If the brightness level of your LED bulb is too high than there’ll be an abnormal discharge of blue light emission. Overexposure to such a too bright light may cause a photochemical damage to the retina.
The degree of blue light hazards depends on:
The extent of blue light hazards depends on the dosage of blue light accumulated in human eyes.
BEWARE! Because of the high light efficiency and relatively low cost of high color temperature LED lightings, there’s an exorbitant amount of products with high color temperatures in the market. Therefore, make a wise purchase!!
The Cold White and Blue LED Lights Should be Banned?!
The cold white and blue LED lighting is a great threat to the eyes health. These color LED lightings emits the blue light whose intensity is far greater than the natural lighting and traditional lighting.
This rise in the intensity of blue light makes it harmful for eyes.
“The high-intensity blue light not only damages the pigment epithelium of the retina but also harms the sensory layer of the retina, leading to the accelerated retinal aging and higher risks of macular degeneration.”
BEWARE! The biggest victims of LEDs are children under 10 years old. Children of this age have neither cloudy lenses nor macular pigment, so they lack the ability to resist blue light.
ARE LED TABLE LIGHT LAMPS YOUR EYES PROTECTOR OR THEY THE WORST EVIL?
The Market LED Lamps and Blue Light Emission:
As per the regulations of the International Lighting Electrical Association, the color temperature of LED lamps, when used for lighting purposes, shouldn’t increase 4000K.
Experts Warn to Use LED Lamps!
The usage of blue chip and an external yellow phosphor in LED lamps to produce white light increases the content of blue light in the LED lamps as compared to other lamp lighting sources.
The Common Misconception:
There lies a common misconception regarding the task lamps. Students and parents often choose lamps with high brightness level keeping in mind that brighter the light, better it would be! As in real it’s not! Because you know brighter the light, more the hazardous blue light would be!
That’s why it’s said don’t judge a book by its cover, one should must know the internal composition to know what’s right!
Which Color Temperature you should Select In LED Lamps for Reading and Writing?
As you know, warmer the light, lower the color temperature would be, and more pleasing it would be for the eyes.
Through experimentation it’s proved that effect of reading, and reflected light during writing is best and not is not an irritation for eyes when the color temperature of lamp used is around 4000K.
This is because, around this color temperature there is no reflected glare that can harm eyes.
A Few Manufacturers Uses 4000K Lamps, So BEWARE and Make a Wise Purchase!
Only a few LED lamp manufacturers’ uses 4000k color temperature lamps. There are basically two reason behind the issue:
- Higher the color temperature, cheaper the lamp will be.
- Higher the color temperature, brighter the luminosity will be, and higher will be the purchase. As most of the buyers aren’t known of the fact that bright light can be disastrous to their eyes health.
In short:
Use LED lamps with warm, soft white tone with the standard color temperature between 3800–4200K. This kind of lamp will not only soothe your eyes but will protect your eyes from the harmful eye diseases blue light can cause.
THE EYE PROTECTION LAMPS – THE REAL EYE PROTECTORS!
Eye protection lamps is a Philips technology of 1980s that protect your eyes against the harmful blue light. The lamp uses the high-frequency rectifier circuit enabling the users to not feel the flicker of the fluorescence.
How the Eye-Protection Lamps Protect your Eyes?
The use of fluorescent tubes and the main luminescent materials in eye protection lamps use a pure three-basic color powder, halogen powder and mixture of the two powder, are the elements that in actual helps in protection of eyes.
The Tri-Color toner tube:
The composition of tri-color toner tube light is:
- Phosphor Yttrium Oxide in which the red light’s peak wavelength is 611nm that emits red, green, and blue light sensitive towards the human eye.
- The Magnesium Polyaluminate in which the green light’s peak wavelength is 541nm.
- The Barium magnesium Polyaluminate in which blue light’s peak wavelength is 450nm. It is mixed in certain proportions from the three primary color phosphors in order to emit light closer to sunlight.
Is your Eye Protection Lamp Real or a Fake Version Of It? – Make a Wise Purchase!
In a cost estimation, it’s found that eye protection lamps in markets with a retail price of less than $15 in actual are not the eye-protection lamps because such lamps don’t use pure tri-color toner tubes. In real, such lamps are eye-catching lights.
The real Eye Protection Lamps:
A price of a pure tri-color toner is around 10 times that of halogen powder.
ENERGY SAVING LED LAMPS VS. EYE PROTECTION LAMPS WRT COLOR TEMPERATURE!
The Color Temperature:
Energy saving lamps are with a color temperature of 5500-6500K, whereas eye protection lamps have a color temperature of 4500–5500K.
Because of the difference between the color temperatures of energy saving LED lamps and eye protection lamps, it’s recommended to use eye protection lamps for reading and writing purpose.
In short,
Higher the color temperature of a lighting source, brighter and more dazzling the light would be, more disastrous it would be for eyes!
THE MOST WANTED QUESTION- ARE LED LIGHTS SAFE?
The answer to the question “are LED lights safe?” is both YES and NO! As the harms LED lights can bring solely depends on the way you use LED lights!
“A short period exposure to cool LED Lights won’t increase the risk of eye diseases as compared to long term recurrent exposure.”
According to researchers LED blue light exposure to eyes in the range between 470 – 480 nanometers for short time (days to weeks) is not likely to initiate or increase any eye disease.
BUT!
If the exposure is for long term from months to years, the risks of eye diseases are significantly higher.
In that regard, one of the ANSES study states that even a low-level blue light exposure for long term can increase the aging of retinal tissue, leading to a decline in visual acuity and certain degenerative diseases like age-related macular degeneration.
THE BEST OF LED LIGHTS AND EYE PROTECTORS FOR THE HEALTH OF YOUR EYES
To help you select a few of the best LED lights and eye protectors for the health of your eyes, we’ve searched, and gathered these best eye-friendly LED lights and protection wears for you!
Consider using them to get better eye results!
Nature Bright Sun Touch Plus Light and Ion Therapy
TIJN – Blue Light Unisex Blocking Glasses for Clear Frame Square Nerd Eyeglasses Anti Blue Ray Computer Screen Glasses
2 X Laptop Screen Protectors -Blue Light and Anti-Glare Filter, FORITO Eye Protection for 15.6″ with 16:9 Aspect Ratio Laptop
SURPRISE FOR MAKING TILL HERE! A FEW LIGHTING TIPS TO MAKE YOUR EYES HEALTHIER!
TIP 1: A Regular Eye-Consultation from an Ophthalmologist!
A regular eye-examination from an ophthalmologist will help you know your eyes current health situation, and will also help you in getting the pre-alert to any of the emerging eye diseases. Your ophthalmologist suggestions can make your vision far better that’ll last for long.
TIP 2: Increase the Usage of Natural Warm Light!
By increasing the usage of natural light at home and during work helps relief your eyes. Also, make sure that your window’s glass filter the sun’s harmful UV- Ultra Violet rays.
But, BEWARE!
Color temperature is the visible light human eyes can percept on luminous objects and white reflectors. Usually, from 10 am noon to 2 pm in a clear and cloudless sky, with no direct sunlight, the standard daylight falls in the color temperature range of about 5000–5500K.
The range is above normal, therefore the light at this time is the most poisonous and dazzling so, it’s better to be aware of the timings!
TIP 3: Wear Glasses and Hat to Protect Your Eyes from the UV Rays!
It’s advisable to protect your eyes from the UV rays of sun by wearing hats and sunglasses. For outdoors wear polarized glasses with anti-reflective coating.
TIP 4: Avoid Night and Dark Time Exposure to Screens
It’s not recommended to watch television and use blue light emitting screen sources in dark. Still, if you want to have screen time in night or in dark it’s recommended to use ambient backlight behind your screen. This precautionary measurement will help prevent eye strain.
TIP 5: An E-reader Alternative to Smartphones!
Health experts advise to use digital products like Kindle as an e-reader to read digital products instead o using tablet, laptop, or a smartphone.
TIP 6: Your Eyes Should be Regularly Hydrated!
To keep your eyes healthy while you’re in a regular touch to screen sources, consider applying these few tip on regular basis:
- Keep your eyes moist.
- Keep blinking your eyes.
- Keep lubricating drops near to your screen sources.
TIP 7: Minimize the Glare and Apply Dark Coating!
It’s necessary to minimize the glare of screen sources.
But How?
- Use anti-glare screens with laptops, cellphones and tablets.
- Apply darker, matte paint in the room with screen sources like laptops, computer etc.
- Anti-reflecting coatings will work to minimize the glare.
- Glasses with polarized or tinted glass will help in minimizing the glare too.
TIP 8: Modify the Display Setting of your Screen to Make Eyes Healthier!
You should change the display settings of your computer in order to keep your eyes heathier.
But How?
- Keep the brightness close to ambient setting, and shouldn’t be brighter than the ambient lights.
- Color temperature (the spectrum of visible light emitted) should be changed to warmer setting because cool or blue light has a short wavelength that leads to eye strain.
- Adjust the contrast, and text size that satisfies your eyes.
TIP 9: Apply 20-20-20 Rule!
The 20-20-20 rule signifies that after every 20 minutes you should 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This rule will lower the strain on eyes caused by sitting in front of blue-light emitting sources.
What more is, the distance between the desks on which your PC lies should be 20-30 inches far you’re your eyes. Also, it’s recommended to take short regular breaks while dealing with screen devices.
TIP 10: Consider Using Blue Light Blocking Computer Eyewear!
It’s recommended to wear blue light blocking computer eyewear to protect your eyes. These eye wears are different than standard glasses as they create a precise distance between your eyes and the screen source. Plus these computer glasses have an anti-reflective coating and a light tint to protect your eyes from excess glare.
TIP 11: Maintain the Distance!
Health experts warn that there shouldn’t be a near-to distances with the blue light emitting screen sources. One should hold them far away as conveniently possible.
What more you can do to protect your eyes is:
- Installing multi-layer lighting system in a room without the use of super bright blubs of high intensity level.
- Considering installation of warm lights over cool bright lighting fixtures.
- Usage of task lamps for a directed light towards work.
- Work in a well-lit area to decrease any potential eye stress or strain.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. Are led lights bad for you?
LED lights are good for your eyes unless and until you have a low-period exposure to them ranging from days to weeks. The blue light from LED lights is a real evil to your eyes’ health. Therefore, ensure a minimum exposure to LED lights to maintain a better eyes health.
Q. Why led lights are bad?
LED lights are considered bad because of the high-intensity blue light they produce. Overexposure to blue light can lead to numerous health problems like poor eye-sight, lack of concentration, insomnia, disturbed circadian rhythms etc.
Q. Is yellow light bad for your eyes?
No, yellow light is not bad for your eyes instead it helps in maintaining your eye’s health. Yellow light carries proven eye-health benefits. It is used as a remedy for blue-light effected patients. In addition, with time a natural yellowish ting appears in eyes that helps filter the blue light from entering your eyes.
Q. Which LED light colors are good for eyes health?
You should consider installing warm tone colored LED lights that are formed by the mixture of primary and secondary color. The warm colors are yellow, red, and orange. In short, any warm tone LED light can be good for your eyes health.
FINAL WORDS
LED lights won’t cause blindness according to a research stated in Daily Mail’s article. But, don’t forget the harms it can cause to your eyes and overall physical and mental health. Remedial measures if taken can help you in long run.
It’s not easy to get rid of LED lights, nor would you like to. Therefore, finding and following the ways to moderate the exposure to photogenic blue light should be the matter in your to-do list!
We hope this ultimate guide on “Are LED lights bad for your eyes” has answered all your related and relevant queries. Still, if something is left behind do not hesitate to let us know in the comment section down below regarding anything you want to know LED light and your eyes. We’d love to hear back from you guys!
We’ll see you with another article, till then Beware of LED Light
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