Flickering LED Lights

Are the LED lights in your office, classroom, hospital, or retail space flickering and causing headaches, impaired vision, or eye strain? Did you know that flickering is not always visible but can negatively affect the brain anyway? NaturaLux™ light filters and covers from Make Great Light can resolve the problem.

What is LED Lighting?

LED is the acronym for “light-emitting diodes,” an electrical advance that is popular for its superior energy efficiency. They create light by using a semiconductor material to move electrons at a fast pace. The result is visible light.

LED bulbs use only 20% of the energy of incandescent bulbs and last a lot longer than a standard bulb. But continual exposure to them has risks and can be especially damaging to the eye.

Our eyes perceive LED light as white light, but it is actually a colored light that is converted to white light. LED lights emit light from the blue and violet end of the visible light spectrum. The blue peak is unnaturally high and very unlike natural light.

Research indicates that high exposure to this light, even for a short time, can cause retinal changes in the eye, increasing the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

About Light Flickering

Like other types of lighting, LED lights are known to flicker. Sometimes flickering is caused by low-quality lights. In other cases, strobing or flickering is related to voltage fluctuations in the wiring or the dimming of LEDs.

Studies show that short-term exposure to visible flickering of frequencies in the 3Hz to 70Hz range is associated with epileptic seizures. Teachers who work with autistic children sometimes observe increased repetitive behaviors and autistic symptoms when they are under fluorescent and flickering lights. These are safety issues, so it’s essential to understand how you can help prevent the problem.

Sensitive individuals can experience distress and disorientation from flickering LED or fluorescent lights, especially if they have to read or perform activities under it. Employees working under flickering light might become distracted and less productive.

Invisible flickering is just as much of a problem as visible flickering, and possibly even worse. Although we cannot see it, it may cause dizziness, eyestrain, headaches, migraines, and other general sick-feeling symptoms.

Mitigate the Flickering

The best way to alleviate LED light flickering is to purchase NaturaLux™ light filters or covers from Make Great Light. They can help stop the productivity killers discussed above and protect the health of your workforce.

Our filters use special colored pigments that are embedded within a plastic material to achieve a more natural, color-accurate and color-balanced light. They are designed to sit atop existing plastic panels or metallic louvers. Once properly installed, they will stay in place and filter the light for many years to come, from re-lamping to re-lamping.

Resolve the problem of flickering LED lights today. Use our online contact form or call us at 612-399-6484 for more information. We are always happy to answer any questions you may have.