Is Prolonged Exposure to LED lights harmful for the Eyes

How to take care of your eyes by choosing the right LEDs

There are a lot of benefits of having LEDs at home. It is energy-efficient, cost-effective, eco-friendly and available for multiple purposes. Blue light is beneficial for our health. Many reports have revealed that blue light boosts our mood, memory, alertness and cognition. 

Nonetheless, too much of anything is harmful. Medical professionals say that prolonged exposure to blue light emitted from LED lights can disturb our sleep patterns. It is also said that it can have detrimental effects on our eyes too. 

Effect of Prolonged Exposure to blue light spectrum of LED lights

Let us look at the impact of prolonged exposure to blue light of LED lights has on our eyes:

1. LED lights emit light from the short-wave that ranges between the high energy blue and violet end of the visible light spectrum. According to a 2016 report published in American Medical Association, the light spectrum controls our sleep cycle, and optimal but restricted exposure is essential to maintain the circadian rhythm. Perhaps, this is why photosensitive people complain of itchiness and redness of the eyes after continuous exposure to LED lights.

2. Life-long exposure of our retina and lens to the blue peaks from LEDs can also increase the risk of developing a cataract. It can even lead to irreparable retinal changes if there is high and uncontrolled exposure to these lights. The photo-toxicity of the blue light exposure can lead to age-related macular degeneration.

3. Uncontrolled exposure to blue light emitted from television screens, computer screens, tablets and cellphones can cause childhood myopia.

Solution by choosing the Right LED light

There are lights which are known as full spectrum lights. These light bulbs imitate the natural sunlight and provide a balanced light throughout the spectrum of visible light. These light bulbs provide  light with balanced brightness, luminous intensity and contrast. 

Apart from the Full Spectrum LED lights you can also get the normal LED lights. The LED lights provide lights according to the CCT which is colour Correlated Temperature. The LED lights which have a lower temperature (CCT) in the range of 3000-4500 kelvin produce warm glow. This light has lower concentration of the blue light spectrum in the white light that is produced by the LED bulb. 

The third and the best choice is to purchase LED bulbs which come with preinstalled filters. These bulbs filter out the blue end of the light spectrum before the bulb emits the light. There is no change on the brightness of the bulb or the colour balance. These bulbs provide the white light which is similar to the natural light but the harmful considered blue light is filtered out by the bulb itself.    

Other Tips for Protecting your Eyes

The following section contains some tips that you can follow to protect your eyes from getting damaged:

1. Get Regular Eye Exams- Consider going to a good eye doctor or ophthalmologist for eye exams. If doctor's advice is taken at regular intervals any issues being developed in the eyes can be detected very early and tackled at a nascent stage. 

2. Rest your Eyes- The best way to give your eyes a break is by looking at objects beyond the screen. The 20-20-20 rule is a simple and easy method to employ. Doctors prescribe people who work on the computer for long hours to take a break after every 20 mins and look at an object kept at a minimum distance of 20 feet for 20 seconds. This can save your eyes from strain.

3. Diet- A healthy diet is the key to a healthy life. Vitamin A rich foods like carrots can help keep your eyes fit. Nutrients like Lutein and Zeaxanthin that are found in foods like spinach, kale and other leafy vegetables help protect the eyes.

LED lights are an essential part of our lives. They are majorly used in areas where precise and clear bright lights are required. E.g., LED Spotlights have many uses like in films, television, functions, auditoriums, etc. Additionally, floodlights and panel lights are indispensable in the field of sports. If we take these easy preventive measures, we can protect ourselves, thereby enjoying the LED technology’s service to the fullest.