LED LIGHTS: GOOD FOR THE PLANET, BAD FOR HEADACHES

Migraine Again

Low energy light-emitting diode (LED) lights might may be causing more harm than good as their constant flickering may give people a headache, a prominent health expert warned. According to Professor Arnold Wilkins, professor of psychology at the University of Essex, in the United Kingdom, LED bulbs are capable of inducing feelings of dizziness and pain within mere 20 minutes of switching them on.

The professor also stressed that LED light bulbs have greater fluctuations than traditional light bulbs. He said fluorescent lights like those found in offices dim by about 35 percent with every flicker. In contrast, flickering LED lights are found to dim by up to 100 percent. This means that LED light bulbs effectively switch on and off hundreds of times every second.

According to Prof. Wilkins, this mechanism could trigger the onset of headaches as the flickering may disrupt the movement control of the eyes and force the brain to work harder. Likewise, the flickering of the lights raises the odds of suffering visual conditions such as double or multiple visions. In addition, the risk of suffering a headache is more pronounced while reading, when the eyes are positioned carefully to scan the pages. Being exposed to flickering LED lights may double the risk of experiencing headaches, the professor said.

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