Are LED Lights Bad for Your Eyes Really? Fact Or Myth

In fact, LED lights are bad for your eyes. However, this is not a concern for the average user. You’d have to be exposed to extremely high levels of LED light to potentially be in danger of eye disease.

Our smartphones, computers, and tablets all use the same amount of blue light as the typical LED bulb. If you’re fine with using electronics, then your light bulbs should be perfectly fine as well.

A component of the eye called the retina converts light into impulses that become the images we see. Light sources have the ability to significantly impact this area of the eye. For instance, too much time spent gazing at the sun can be harmful. Similarly, there are concerns, that exposure to LED lighting might cause eye problems.

I will show you more detailed information about the advantages and disadvantages of LED lights for your eyes, and how to protect your eyes from LED light.

Do LED Lights Hurt Your Eyes?

LEDs’ potential impact on our eyes is the first significant worry that people have. There are concerns about whether or not LEDs can harm our eyes if used repeatedly because they are so bright. The short answer to this is no, they won’t hurt your eyes. But don’t be alarmed.

The blue light emitted by the LED bulb is the cause of this worry. During the day, blue light is what causes our eyes to react. In short, it tells our circadian rhythms that it’s time to “stay awake.” The risk of eye disease increases with exposure to very high levels of this light. The typical user, however, isn’t worried about this. Only those with pre-existing eye conditions can experience a problem with it.

The amount of blue light emitted by LEDs is comparable to that of our smartphones, computers, and tablets. Your light bulbs should function just fine if you’re comfortable using electronics.

Are LEDs Safe?

LEDs have a “cool” white color by default. Due to its close resemblance to the daylight effect, this is primarily used for ambient lighting. The use of blue light by the LEDs, which is how this is made possible, is where the problems start. How safe are LEDs for your eyes? The short answer is yes, but continue reading to learn some justifications.

Pros of LED Lights

There are a ton of advantages to LED lights, to start. Millions of people use them because of this each year. Below are just a few:

Longevity

Did you know that an LED bulb can last 8–10 times longer than a typical fluorescent bulb? It’s true that diodes, not filaments, are used to create LEDs. While using much less energy, these diodes produce the same amount of light as other light bulbs on the market. They can therefore outlive any other light bulb on the market by years.

Eco-friendly

LEDs are extremely environmentally friendly in addition to having a much longer lifespan than any other light bulb. Everyday energy usage is reduced by 90%, which has an impact on global energy use. They’re lowering millions of tons of carbon emissions annually, to put that in perspective.

Versatile

LED lighting isn’t just for your lamps and ceilings. LED string lights may not have even crossed your mind. They can be used for a variety of purposes throughout your home or place of business due to their extreme versatility. Use them in patios, bars, kitchens, and other areas.

Colorful

Your light bulb or light strings need to be a very specific color. No problem, LEDs can produce any color of light, from the brightest blue to the deepest red, unlike other light bulbs. Their functionality for consumers is only increased by this.

LED Lights: Harmful Effects

Although LED bulbs have many wonderful advantages, some consumers still have some reservations. Generally speaking, people are worried about any negative effects they might have on our state of health as a whole.

Medical Conditions

LEDs are alleged to be problematic for individuals who already have medical conditions linked to migraines and seizures in addition to pre-existing eye diseases. This is due to the fact that the majority of LEDs emit a very slight, hardly perceptible flicker. You won’t even notice this flicker because it happens so quickly (typically 120 times per second). However, they may be bothersome for some people who are highly sensitive to eye strain, fatigue, headaches, and seizures.

This should be taken with a grain of salt. As previously stated, the flicker is so slight that you won’t ever notice it. Therefore, it is unlikely that it will bother anyone.

Disrupted Sleep

Finally, some people worry that LEDs might interfere with their regular sleep patterns. This has some element of truth. Remember how we said they use blue light? Well, blue light signals our brains that it’s “awake” time. As a result, using them excessively, especially late at night, could strain your eyes and make your mind work faster rather than slower.

However, it’s crucial to remember that electronics emit the same amount of blue light as LEDs. It’s possible that you have trouble falling asleep if you regularly stay up late watching TV and browsing social media. But you shouldn’t have any trouble falling asleep at night if you try to turn off all electronics and lights before bed.

LED Lights Are Toxic

LED lights don’t contain any harmful toxic materials to your health, unlike fluorescent lights which do because they contain mercury. In addition, compared to other conventional light sources, LED lights emit very little to no infrared. More research is required to determine whether infrared radiation is toxic to human health when exposed in excess.

While safe materials are present in LED lights from reliable manufacturers like Hubbell, buying an LED light from a less reliable source could be risky.

Emit Radiation

People who are worried about the radiation that LED lights produce are reluctant to use them. In actuality, the radiation produced by the sun is far more powerful than the radiation you are exposed to while using LED lights.

LED Lights Flicker

LEDs do flicker, that much is true. The flicker, however, happens at such a rapid rate that the human eye cannot detect it. Despite this, many people assert that the flicker of LED lights results in headaches and seizures. Anyone who is sensitive to light or has a medical condition should avoid staring at an LED light, just as they should avoid staring at other light sources. (Check for What Is Normal Eye Pressure? )

Do LED Lights Cause Eye Strain?

Eye strain is unfortunately another downside to using LED lights, as they’re known to trigger issues for people with existing medical conditions associated with migraines and seizures. This is due to the extremely light flicker that LEDs produce, which is so quick you wouldn’t notice it! This indicates that the majority of people are unaffected, so unless you are extremely sensitive and prone to these problems, it is unlikely that you will experience eye strain or fatigue, headaches, or seizures. (Check for Can Your Eyes Get Sunburned?)

Are LED Lights Better for Your Eyes Than Fluorescent?

Fluorescent light bulbs tend to emit More than the blue light emitted by LED light bulbs, UV radiation can harm your eyes the most. LED lights don’t emit UV rays and, as previously mentioned, can also produce warm light because they come in a variety of colors.

Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) are another option – In comparison to fluorescent and incandescent bulbs, CFL bulbs emit fewer UV rays. There is a small amount of mercury in CFL bulbs compared to fluorescent bulbs, but it is still a potentially harmful amount. LED lights are less damaging to your overall eye health provided you pick warmer coloured lights over cooler ones, as there is significantly less blue light and no a production of UV rays.

The likelihood of serious eye damage is extremely unlikely, so don’t hesitate to use LED lights to decorate your home. Your eyes are unlikely to be harmed by brief exposure to LEDs as long as you take the necessary precautions to protect them (such as limiting your screen time and purchasing “warm white” lights).

How to Protect Our Eyes from LED Light?

According to CDC (The Centre of Disease Control), you can protect your eyes through the following ways:

Go to Bed Early

Any artificial light, including that from LEDs, fluorescent lights, and incandescent bulbs, interferes with your regular sleep patterns. The circadian rhythm in your body adjusts to the amount of light that it is exposed to. Your circadian rhythm will believe it is still daytime if you make staying up late a habit. Your body will eventually become accustomed to staying up late, which will make it more difficult for you to get up early. Your circadian rhythm also regulates functions like feeding patterns, brain activity, hormone production, and cell regeneration, so this goes beyond just being late for work every day. Additionally, your body’s natural functions are impacted if you are exposed to light at various times of the day. Health issues and mood changes result from this.

Of course, setting an early bedtime every night is not practical. Your best bet in this situation is to use blue light-free lighting and/or blue-free eyewear.

Blue Light Free Lighting for Night-time

The term “blue-free lighting” refers to lighting that has had the blue light wavelengths filtered out. With no negative effects on your retina or circadian rhythm, you receive all the advantages of regular lighting. Flicker-free technology should also be used for the lights.

The same cannot be said for blue-free lighting and CFLs or incandescent bulbs. LED lights with blue wavelengths filtered out are referred to as blue light-free lights. This means that without the detrimental effects on your health, you still get the energy-saving and long-lasting features of LED lighting.

It’s important to choose blue-free lighting that works to mimic natural lighting conditions. The lighting you pick should

You can check the spectral test reports for each product to see that all of BlockBlueLight’s bulbs and lamps have been independently verified to be blue light-free. They also have low EMF and use flicker-free technology.

There are 2 types of blue light free lighting:

Evening Bulbs (blue Light Free)

Since we aren’t supposed to be exposed to blue light after sunset, evening bulbs must completely filter out this color for them to be effective. Blue light is completely blocked by our SweetDreams Bulb across the entire spectrum (300-455 nm). It’s a multipurpose bulb that can take the place of your home’s standard LEDs. For further assurance of its efficacy, the product page also includes the spectral test report.

Night-time Bulbs (blue and Green Light Free)

During the day or while you are in bed, you can use these red bulbs as nightlights. The best thing about these is that they provide just the right amount of light for reading without impairing your ability to fall asleep.

For nighttime bulbs to be effective, they must target green light, as well as blue light. Green light has been found to interfere with the production of melatonin. Our Twilight Bulb completely filters out blue and green light between 400 and 550 nm. Anywhere below this range, you won’t experience the full benefits of blue-free lighting.

Full Spectrum Lighting for Daytime

For mood regulation and stable energy during the day, getting full spectrum light is essential.

Standard LED lights do not provide a full spectrum of light; instead, they have a very high concentration of blue light and little to no yellow, orange, or red light. This is one of the reasons why LEDs are so bad for your eyes. Full spectrum light is much more biologically friendly and better for your eyes because it has balanced levels of blue light alongside all the other colors, making it the same as outdoor natural light.

Are you sick of turning the lights on and off all the time? The BioLight Bulb is the answer if you’re looking for maximum effectiveness. This is the first full spectrum light of its kind! It switches between three modes and colours:

• Day Mode: Full-spectrum white light that replicates the sun’s light and is flicker-free
• Mixed Mode: Warm light that is low in the blue spectrum, to be used in the evenings
• Night Mode: Amber light that blocks 100% of blue light to prepare your body for bed

The sun’s light patterns are imitated by these three modes.

Started by Are Carrots Good For Your Eyes?

Why LED Lights Are So Popular?

Let’s look at the reasons behind LED lights’ appeal.

LEDs are devices that emit shortwave light. The color of a LED light appears as a “cool” white color, in comparison to the “warm” yellowish color of traditional bulbs. Additionally, LED lights use diodes rather than filaments to create their light. Compared to an ordinary fluorescent light bulb, these bulbs can last 8–10 times longer.

Also very environmentally friendly are LED lights. LED lights use 90% less energy per day because of their construction, which has a significant positive impact on the world’s overall energy consumption.

Finally, LED lights have a huge range of applications. Not just for ceilings or lamps, either. LED lights can be used in a variety of settings, including your home’s kitchen, bar, patio, and really anywhere else you need lighting. Additionally, LED lights can generate any color of light, from the palest to the brightest, across the entire color spectrum.

What is the Safest LED Lighting Color?

The safest colors for your overall eye health are those closer to the middle of the visible light spectrum.

Thus, anything from green to yellow would fit the bill.

You want a warm white that is more yellow-toned than cool-white blue when it comes to whites.

In the same way that you wouldn’t want to stand outside where it’s extremely bright for too long, cool white blue lights are good for keeping you energized during the day, but only in brief bursts.

You will have a harder time seeing, though, in lights that are more orange-red. That’ll make you more exhausted.

While a balance of all wavelengths is ideal, if you want the safest color with the fewest effects on your eyesight, stick to greens, yellows, and warm whites.

FAQs

Switch to LEDs is the Right Move

The retina shows no signs of structural damage caused by LED technology. Using LEDs in your home or place of business carries absolutely no significant risk. When comparing the advantages and disadvantages of LED light bulbs, the advantages—better light quality, environmental friendliness, and energy bill savings of up to 10%—far outweigh the disadvantages.

As a result, we advise you to add some colorful LEDs to your home to enhance the atmosphere. Check out our options from GoodBulb; you won’t regret it.