LED lights have become such a pervasive part of our everyday lives that it’s hard to remember the days of incandescent light bulbs. In the United States, LED home lighting exploded from fewer than 400,000 installations in 2009 to 202 million in 2016, making it one of the fastest adoptions of any technology to date. This is because LEDs (light-emitting diodes) use one-fifth of the electricity needed by an incandescent bulb of comparable brightness, making them an energy-efficient affordable alternative.
That’s why over 10% of American streetlights have been converted to LED, with many more planned. LEDs are also commonly used in home lighting, car headlights, flashlights, cell phones, tablets, laptops, and even some toys. It’s projected that by 2030, 84% of the lighting market will be LED.
What exactly is a LED light?
LEDs combine a short wavelength blue or ultraviolet light semiconductor chip with a yellow phosphor coating that partially absorbs the monochromatic blue light and re-emits it as a white light with a mixed wavelength. The whiter or “colder” the light, the greater the amount of blue in the spectrum.
Can blue light cause eye damage?
A recent study from the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (known as ANSES) confirms that short-term exposure to high-intensity blue light has “phototoxic effects” and that long term exposure to lower-intensity blue light is linked to an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). ARMD is the leading cause of vision loss in adults over 50.
The ANSES report differentiates between two types of blue light: ”warm white” found in home LED lighting was found to have weak phototoxicity risks, not unlike traditional lighting. However, the high-intensity blue light emitted by sources such as the latest flashlights, auto headlights, and some toys is considerably more harmful.
In an interview with CNN Health, the chief scientific research officer at Atlanta’s Morehouse School of Medicine, Gianluca Tosini, agreed with the ANSES findings, saying that blue light can indeed cause damage to the eyes, however, with high-intensity exposure at wavelengths below 455 nanometers.
Tosini explained that there are blue-light photoreceptors in the retina that directly communicate with the brain’s circadian clock. Exposure to blue light in the evening can disturb biological rhythms and sleep mostly by inhibiting the synthesis of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin. In fact, circadian rhythm disruption has been known to aggravate metabolic disorders such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some forms of cancer.
Kids are especially susceptible to LED exposure
The ANSES study warned that children and teenagers, whose crystalline lenses aren’t fully formed, have eyes that do not fully filter blue light, making them particularly susceptible to its harmful effects. And who doesn’t know a teen who isn’t glued to their smartphone day and night?
What’s more, the strobe effect caused by tiny fluctuations in the electric current of some LED lights can cause headaches, vision fatigue, and a higher risk of accidents. That’s why the agency recommended revising the maximum time limit for short term exposure to low-level blue light.
So, are LED lights safe?
There seems to be a general consensus among researchers that LED blue light exposure in the range between 470 to 480 nanometers for short periods (meaning days to weeks) should not significantly increase the risk of eye disease, but the same cannot be said for long term exposure over months to years.
In fact, the ANSES study concluded that long term exposure to even low-level blue light “could accelerate the aging of retinal tissue, contributing to a decline in visual acuity and certain degenerative diseases such as age-related macular degeneration”.
So, how can I protect my vision from LED exposure?
The ANSES report recommends buying “warm white” LED home lighting, limiting your exposure to LED sources with a high concentration of blue light, and avoiding LED screens before bedtime. They went on to recommend that car manufacturers limit the luminous intensity of vehicle headlights, some of which are too bright. In fact, the American Medical Association (AMA) also encourages road engineers to use LED lights that are 3000 Kelvin or lower, so as to minimize glare.
It should be noted that the ANSES report cast doubt on the efficacy of many “blue-blocking” screens, filters, and sunglasses being marketed, saying that their protective ability varies widely.
In fact, a 2017 review of the medical literature looked at the benefits and harm coming from blue-blocking lenses marketed to protect against phototoxicity and found “a lack of high-quality evidence” to support their use “for the general population to improve visual performance or sleep quality, alleviate eye fatigue or conserve macular health.”
The Bottom line is don’t run out and spend a ton of money on fancy blue-blocking lenses. More research is needed in this area. But do limit your exposure, and especially your kids’ exposure, to LED screens and lights in the evening so that everyone can get a good night’s sleep.
Why choose Assil Gaur Eye Institute for your eye care?
The eye care professional team of ophthalmologists and optometrists at Assil Gaur Eye Institute (AGEI) offer world class eye care treating dry eye conditions, cataracts, glaucoma, LASIK and laser eye correction as well as a wide variety of cornea and retinal conditions.
At AGEI, you will experience a state-of-the-art health care facility that brings together revolutionary technologies with experienced vision care professionals. Our goal is to help you achieve your personal best vision.
Please call 866-945-2745 or visit us here to make an appointment online. If you are experiencing any concerning symptoms, contact us immediately to determine the best time to schedule an exam.
At Assil Gaur Eye Institute we take our patients’ safety seriously. Our facility’s Covid-19 patient safety procedures exceed all CDC recommendations. Masks are required in our institutes at all times.
We are conveniently located for patients throughout Southern California and the Los Angeles area at locations in or near Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Culver City, Hollywood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, and Downtown Los Angeles, to name a few.
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