Professor claims eco-friendly light bulbs are causing health problems

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
Professor claims Obama’s eco-friendly light bulbs are causing health problems



A professor in the United Kingdom claims LED light bulbs, which have grown in popularity since the federal government began to push consumers away from incandescent light bulbs in 2007, cause headaches and can create feelings of pain and dizziness.

Arnold Wilkins, a professor of psychology at the University of Essex, said LED lights dim by 100 percent, which means the turn on and off hundreds of times every second. This constant flickering is not noticeable to many people, but Arnold said the effects of the flickering can include headaches, feelings of pain, and dizziness, according to a report by the Daily Mail (U.K.).

Writing for The Conversation, Wilkins said, “We know from earlier work on fluorescent lighting that even though the flicker is too fast to be visible, it remains a likely health hazard. In 1989, my colleagues and I compared fluorescent lighting that flickered 100 times a second with lights that appeared the same but didn’t flicker. We found that office workers were half as likely on average to experience headaches under the non-flickering lights.”
 

This_person

Well-Known Member
Professor claims Obama’s eco-friendly light bulbs are causing health problems



A professor in the United Kingdom claims LED light bulbs, which have grown in popularity since the federal government began to push consumers away from incandescent light bulbs in 2007, cause headaches and can create feelings of pain and dizziness.

Arnold Wilkins, a professor of psychology at the University of Essex, said LED lights dim by 100 percent, which means the turn on and off hundreds of times every second. This constant flickering is not noticeable to many people, but Arnold said the effects of the flickering can include headaches, feelings of pain, and dizziness, according to a report by the Daily Mail (U.K.).

Writing for The Conversation, Wilkins said, “We know from earlier work on fluorescent lighting that even though the flicker is too fast to be visible, it remains a likely health hazard. In 1989, my colleagues and I compared fluorescent lighting that flickered 100 times a second with lights that appeared the same but didn’t flicker. We found that office workers were half as likely on average to experience headaches under the non-flickering lights.”

Haven't fluorescent lights been doing the same thing?
 

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
Haven't fluorescent lights been doing the same thing?

yes, but they do not COMPLETELY shut off only dim



“No similar study has yet been performed for LED lights,” Wilkins continued. “But because LED flickering is even more pronounced, with the light dimming by 100% rather than the roughly 35% of fluorescent lamps, there’s a chance that LEDs could be even more likely to cause headaches. At best, it’s likely to put some people off using LED bulbs because of the annoying, distracting effect of the flickering, which we know can be detected during saccades.”
 
yes, but they do not COMPLETELY shut off only dim

And only at 60Hz. It does cause some to get headaches.

LEDs flash on and off at a much much higher rate. I'm one of those that can see it, primarily with adverted vision. Hasn't caused me any grief yet.
 

Clem72

Well-Known Member
It's also not all LEDs, mostly just the cheap Chinese ones that don't bother to put a few caps on the board to even out the power. Buy a Philips or GE bulb and you should be fine.
 

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
It's also not all LEDs, mostly just the cheap Chinese ones that don't bother to put a few caps on the board to even out the power. Buy a Philips or GE bulb and you should be fine.



I've got some nicer 'retro' Edison Bulbs , I haven't notice an issue
 

Clem72

Well-Known Member
I've got some nicer 'retro' Edison Bulbs , I haven't notice an issue

Those are nice. I have some of the larger ones for non-living spaces (basement, attic, shed), and I bought two dozen e2 (supposedly candelabra equivalent size) ones that don't work. Too lazy to return them.
 
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