Are LED Lights Bad for Your Eyes? [A Quick Guide]

LED lights are seemingly taking over the world. And quickly, too.

By 2030, it’s expected that LEDs will make up 87% of lighting sources worldwide (according to warehouse-lighting.com).

And it’s easy to see why. They cost little to run due to their low electrical usage, and they last much longer than other types of bulb too.

But with this quick rate of adoption, there’s one thing we need to address – are LED lights bad for your eyes?

Let’s take a look.

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What are LED Lights?

LED lights are a much more efficient type of light bulb, especially when compared to incandescent bulbs.

LED stands for light emitting diode, and it’s a small chip that emits light whenever an electric current passes through it.

LEDs work on electroluminescence – light gets emitted whenever an electric current interacts with some kind of solid material, in this case the semiconductor chip.

This is in contrast to incandescent light bulbs, which produce light by heating up a filament (a small piece of metal wire) until it glows. Hence why LED bulbs don’t get as hot as incandescent bulbs.

Why Might LED Lights Be Bad for Your Eyes?

The main concern surrounding LED lights being bad for you is centred around the blue light that they emit.

You’ve probably heard before that blue light isn’t so great for you in the evening, as it can disrupt your circadian rhythm and keep you up. The blue light causes in you to stop producing melanin, and it’s why you’re advised to stop looking at your devices for a few hours before bed, or to buy blue light blocking glasses.

While interrupted sleep like this can lead an increased risk of developing certain cancers, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, this isn’t the issue we’re talking about here. The more immediate issue is that this blue light can actually damage your retina, causing serious vision problems.

This can be done through either acute blue light exposure – looking at a really powerful blue light emitting light source for a short time – or being exposed to a less powerful blue light emitting light for a prolonged period of time.

The latter of these two is the issue with LED lights, as they’re on for multiple hours each and every day. This prolonged exposure, over time, has been found to lead to AMD, or Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

What Can I Do to Protect My Eyes from LED Lights?

Don’t worry though – it’s not all doom and gloom, and there are definitely things that you can do to mitigate any potential negative health effects from using LED lights. 

Don’t Stare Directly at an LED Bulb When It’s Switched On

Much like you should never stare directly at the sun because of the UV rays it gives off, don’t stare directly into an LED bulb that’s giving off blue light.

Buy Your LED Bulbs from Reputable Brands

Reputable LED bulb brands like Phillips and GE put their light bulbs through stringent testing, and you can be assured that their products are safe.

Don’t try and save a bit of money by buying slightly cheaper bulbs from unrecognised brands – it’s generally not a good idea.

Opt for LED Lights That Have Low Flicker Rates

While not related to the blue light issue, flickering LED lights (even if they flicker so fast that you can’t perceive them doing so) often leads to headaches, fatigue, and strained eyes. 

However, you can buy LED lights that use an LED driver to supply a constant, non-oscillating current to the LED’s themselves, meaning little/no flickering.

Opt for LED Bulbs That Give Off a Warmer Colour Temperature Light

LED bulbs come in a variety of color temperatures, ranging from cool white to warm white.

Generally, the warmer you go in color, the less blue light is emitted (although there will never be no blue light, just less). So, opt for the warmer color temperature when choosing your LED bulbs.

For more on lighting color temperature, read our in-depth article here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can LED Lights Cause Blurred Vision?

LED lights emit blue light when in use, especially if you have opted for a cool white version.

With repeated, prolonged exposure to this blue light, evidence suggests there is an increased risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), of which one of the symptoms is blurred, distorted vision.

How Can I Protect my Eyes from LED Lights?

There are many things you can do protect your eyes from LED lights, including not staring at them directly when they’re in use, opting for LED lights that have a low flicker rate, and choosing LED lights that have a warmer color temperature.

Related Posts

• Are LED Light Strips Safe?
• Are LED Strip Lights Bad for Your Eyes?
• Does Wattage Determine Brightness for Light Bulbs?

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