Do we have to worry about LEDs?

Less energy-consuming, are low-energy light bulbs and especially LEDs, necessarily environment-friendly and healthy? Some doctors are warning us.

Children’s eyes, whose lens is transparent, are the most sensitive to the blue light of Leds. But this doesn’t mean that all Leds are that dangerous… © Patricia Cerinsek/Place Gre’net

Halogen bulbs produce ultraviolets and low energy lamps contain electromagnetic waves.

They are all potentially harmful to our health and the environment. People tend to think that Leds are a good alternative, but not necessarily…

Bulbs with light-emitting diodes produce, within the white light, an important proportion of very intensive blue that could be harmful to the eyes. It is a blue light between ultraviolet and the visible; the shortest visible wave, between 380 and 500 nanometers, and the highest energy consumption.

A photochemical effect

“It is a disturbing blue”, underlines doctor Sylvie Berthemy-Pellet, ophtalmologist in Grenoble, invited last Monday 2nd of December by the Frapna Isère to shed light on the subject. In fact, these waves emit some heat, which can reach the retina and cause burns of the pigmentary epithelium by penetrating the cornea.

These waves have also a photochemical effect with a risk of membrane ruptures, and could even lead to developing cancers and aggravated risks of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

This blue light can cause irreversible injuries, especially with children and people suffering from ocular diseases, as well as professionals exposed to this type of lighting.

A new health risk?

In 2010 already, a report released by the ANSES was calling for caution. Four years later, the official speech hasn’t really changed.

Doctor Sylvie Berthemy-Pellet, ophtalmologist in Grenoble. © Patricia Cerinsek/Place Gre’net

In the meantime, an increasing number of studies all come to the same conclusions. During the French Society of Ophthalmology congress that took place in April 2012, Professor Francine Behar Cohen dared to speak about « new health risks arising from these lighting sources« .

Today, while incandescent light bulbs are slowly withdrawn from the market to leave room for less energy-consuming products, what choice should we make?

“The majority of Led bulbs present few risks for the public at a distance of 20 centimeters”, carries on doctor Berthemy-Pellet. Yet, should we exclude Leds from bedside tables and desks as we did with low-energy lamps?

We can partially try to avoid the problem, by choosing warm Leds that contain less blue light and by removing direct lightings.

For the time being, there is no mention of the wave length emitted on the energy label of the bulbs. The only displayed data are: the energy efficiency, the light efficiency, the power and the lifetime.

How can the consumer find his way through this information? “The best thing to do is to mix all kinds of lightings”, recommends doctor Berthemy-Pellet. Until things get clearer…

Patricia Cerinsek

Which bulbs should be used?

Today, four types of Leds are available: the blue Leds (potentially more toxic for the retina), the cold white (whose risk depends on the luminance), the neutral white (containing few risks) and the warm white (without any recognized ocular risks).

The televisions and computers using Leds, as indirect lightings with low luminescence tubes, are safe.

Translation by Sandra Bailly, Translator / Desktop Publishing specialist
Phone : +33 (0)6 95 87 15 27 – email : sandra.bailly79 [at] gmail.com