Where does this claim come from?
says one of them in a post that was widely circulated on social media American businessmanMatt Roski, using LED lights will not be safe for our health (1).
Roeske points out the flickering characteristic of LEDs. That would lead to Headaches and migraines store pressure in the brainwhich can cause feelings of frustration and anxiety. Finally, the use of LEDs is said to play an important role in the development of cataracts, a condition frequently occurring in old age in which the eye lenses become cloudy. For this statement, Rusky refers to A Leading ophthalmologist.
LEDs are also regularly linked to all sorts of ailments in our language region, from eye diseases to sleep problems to even cancer (2).
We are investigating the last statement, which is that using LED lighting can cause cataracts.
source
(1) Facebook. Roski died. September 14, 2024.
How should you interpret this statement?
What is LED?
LED stands for Light emitting diode. that it Energy efficient Lighting technology. LEDs are very efficient, have a long life and generate little heat compared to traditional bulbs. They are used in many forms of lighting, such as recessed spotlights, LED strips and garden lighting. But also the so-called Blue light from screens (TV, laptop, smartphone) comes from LED technology.
What is cataract?
Cataracts are an eye condition in which the lens behind the pupil becomes cloudy due to clumping of proteins. Because of that You see less quality.
Cataracts occur mainly in: the elderly. Factors such as diabetes, obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, cortisone use, and previous eye infections or eye injuries increase the risk of cataracts.
Unknown ophthalmologist
Some posts about LED on social media suggest Statement from a prominent ophthalmologist Who claims that LED lights are an important cause of cataracts. However, there is It was not made clear exactly which doctor he was talking about.
Research into the relationship between LED and cataracts
Few studies have examined the relationship between exposure to blue light from LEDs and cataracts. In a review article from 2023 (3) we found two Animal studies A link has been found between blue light and cataracts. In those studies, the lenses from the eyes of pigs and mice that had been removed were exposed to extremely high levels of blue light. Mice were exposed for 12 hours daily for four days a week 3000 lux Of blue light.
Lux is a measure of light intensity. To give you an idea: the lux density in a typical office is 500 lux. Concretely, this means that the light intensity used in these experiments is six times greater than the light intensity a person is exposed to during an entire month in the office.
this Extreme scenario Therefore, it does not make it possible to apply the results of these studies to people who usually undergo… Much lower intensity than blue light They are exposed. In addition, The results of animal studies cannot simply be applied to humans.
Researchers conclude that at this time There is no evidence It is true that normal use of LEDs (such as in lighting and displays) damages the lens of the eye. Therefore, there is no evidence that cataracts are caused by the use of LED lighting.
conclusion
LEDs produce so-called blue light. In animal experiments, a link has been found between exposure to high-intensity blue light and the development of cataracts. The intensity of the blue light was extremely intense and could in no way be compared to the intensity experienced by a normal person. There is currently no scientific evidence that LEDs play a role in the development of cataracts.
