- Spanish research has shown that blue LED light can irreparably damage the cells in the eye's retina
- This is not the first time energy-saving bulbs have been criticised - fluorescent bulbs emit dangerous UV light
Eco-friendly
LED lights may damage your eyes, according to new research.
A study has
discovered that exposure to LED lights can cause irreparable harm to the retina
of the human eye.
LED lights
have been touted as a super-efficient alternative to traditional bulbs because
they use up to 85 per cent less energy and each bulb can last up to 10 years.
In April,
Philips, the world's biggest lighting maker, reported a 38 per cent jump in LED
light sales from last year.
A Spanish
study has shown that the light emitted by LED bulbs can damage the cells in the
retina. Some experts are now calling for a filter to be fitted in the bulbs
(file picture)
They are
already widely used in mobile phones, televisions, computer screens and can
also be fitted as a replacement for traditional lighting in the home.
LEDs are
much more expensive that traditional bulbs - costing around £25 for an
equivalent 100w compared to around £1 for an incandescent bulb - although
manufacturers claim that consumers make their money back because the use such
little energy.
The
government announced it was phasing out incandescent bulbs in 2007 after an EU
directive banned their use. The 100w bulb was the first to go in 2009 and lower
wattage bulbs continue to be phased out gradually.
The ban
caused public outrage as customers were forced to spend large sums of money on
lighting that not only gave an unpleasantly 'cold' light but also caused some
people to report symptoms of itchy skin and headaches.
The
government's Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme, which was brought in to help
cut UK carbon emissions, is also pushing the use of LED lighting by offering
businesses added tax relief if they use LED and other low-energy bulbs.
Dr. Celia
Sánchez-Ramos, of Complutense University in Madrid and who led the study,
explained that light from LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, comes from the
short-wave, high-energy blue and violet end of the visible light spectrum.
Incandescent
bulbs (left) are being phased out in favour of low-energy alternatives such as
CFLs (right), but there are concerns about the safety of the new generation of
so-called 'environmentally friendly' lighting
She said
that prolonged, continuous exposure to this light may be enough to damage a
person's retina.
The retina is
composed of light-sensitive tissue that is responsible for detecting light and
in turn allowing us to see.
‘This
problem is going to get worse, because humans are living longer and
children are using electronic devices from a young age, particularly for
schoolwork,’ Sánchez-Ramos told
Enterprising:
Lighting shop owner Kerry Nicholau, from Twickenham, stockpiled 3000
incandescent bulbs after 75 watt bulbs were phased out in 2011
‘Eyes are
not designed to look directly at light — they are designed to see with light,’
Sánchez-Ramos said.
Her comments
are partly based on her 2012 study that was published in the journal
Photochemistry and Photobiology.
The study
found that LED radiation caused significant damage to human retinal pigment
epithelial cells in vitro.
Sánchez-Ramos
added that modern humans have their eyes open for roughly 6,000 hours a year,
and are exposed to artificial light for the majority of that time.
Some experts
have called for the LED lights to have built-in filters to cut out the blue
glare.
This is not
the first time energy-saving lights have come under scrutiny for safety
reasons. Compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs, have been criticized for the
high levels of mercury they contain as well as the UV radiation they can emit.
LED lights
have also been blamed for the changing hues of masterpieces in art galleries.
A study
carried out by the University of Antwerp earlier this year found that LED
lights were bleaching the paint on works by Van Gogh and Cézanne.
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