Category Archives: LEDS

LED Blue Light’s Cumulative Effect

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Damage to the eyes has a cumulative effect from light exposure. This has been demonstrated in the modern error by airplane pilots. After years of high altitude flight, it is not unusual for pilots to have eye damage. With constant exposure to welding arcs, eye damage to welders is also a concern. As we age, phototoxic exposure incidences accumulate.  Ultra-violet (UV) light damages the front of the eye and blue light damages the back of the eye.  The reason many of the names of eye diseases have the word age in them, like age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is from the cumulative effect over time.  Phototoxicity has several components: intensity, wavelength, and accumulated exposure.  One event of looking at an arc welder or one time in a tanning bed without any eye protection can be very damaging to the eyes. horse

Long term exposure to any toxicity can be damaging to health. Too much fluorine in the water over time, eating too much sugar and flour, drinking too much alcohol, not wearing your seat belt, teasing the neighbors pit bull, and other seemingly innocent behaviors will kill you given enough exposure. It is the identification of the exposure and risk versus reward that is difficult.  In the case of LEDs, there is such an advantage of power consumption; the people with control to make societal changes took the risk. After several decades of exposure to the Trojan Horse emitter of blue light, phototoxicity will eventually take your vision. The eye docs will tell you that it is just old age.  They have not considered the risk with the introduction of the pale blue horse. It is such a great thing to reduce power consumption and save you from sea level rise as the planet warms.  I say this is that stinky stuff falling out the back of the horse and money is king. 

It turns out that we have known about the dangers of too much exposure to blue light since the 1960s. Of course, we have known about too much exposure to UV light for much longer.  The electromagnetic spectrum is so interesting.  All the way from gamma-ray radiation to long radio waves for communication, the spectrum provides us many opportunities.  If you want to know more about light, I would suggest this lengthy article, Blue Light and Health. (You should just ignore his recipe of making blue blockers, but if you have the skill, enjoy.) Light is everywhere and does not appear to be an immediate threat, so just ignore the dangers, and ride the pale blue horse. After all, the LED has reduced the lighting cost of your monthly electric bill by ninety percent.  Surely that is worth the risk of blindness.  Our leaders seem to think that the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions to prevent sea level rise is more important than your eye sight. 

There are computer screens, cell phones, TVs, street lights, and now our general house lighting; all provides us with exposure to high energy blue light.  You should note here that many cities have reduced the amount of new LED street lights because it was affecting the sleep of its residents. Only by controlling your exposure will you be successful in protecting your eyes.  Of course, the simple thing to do is to wear blue blockers when inside.  However, with no blue light or too much blue light at the correct times of day, you may upset your circadian rhythms because of the lack of or over production of melatonin.  –Pandemic Survivor

Other Articles on Blue Light and Eye Damage (You must make up your own mind. When huge economic advantages are involved; individual health takes a back seat.)

Review of Optometry—The Low Down on Blue Light  https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/ce/the-lowdown-on-blue-light-good-vs-bad-and-its-connection-to-amd-109744
Prevent Blindness—Blue Light and Your Eyes  http://www.preventblindness.org/blue-light-and-your-eyes
Blue Light Exposed  http://www.bluelightexposed.com/#blue-light-and-macular-degeneration
UAB News—Debunking Digital Eyestrain and Blue Light Myths (of course, a university professor’s take) https://www.uab.edu/news/youcanuse/item/7258-debunking-digital-eyestrain-and-blue-light-myths

LEDs-an Eye Destroyer

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Recently, I had a floater in my eye and was seeing flashes of light. My ophthalmologist said it was just old age.  I asked when it would heal, and he said that it would not. Then I discovered this by Dr. Alexander Wunsch, renown photo-biologist and ophthalmologist. “I call these LEDs – I like to call them Trojan horses because they appear so practical to us. They appear to have so many advantages. They save energy; they are solid state, very robust, for example. So, we invited them into our homes. But we are not aware that they have hidden properties, which are harmful to our (health), harmful to our mental health, harmful to our retinal health, and harmful to our hormonal health or endocrine health.”trojan

I just don’t understand how government reviews major changes to our environment without first reading the science.  It seems the only time environmental dangers are reviewed is when it is an economic benefit to government.  Alarms have gone off about how LEDs can damage health for several decades.  We understand both the benefits and dangers of various wavelengths of light.  LEDs are great for reduction of electricity as they use about 90% less than incandescent bulbs.  In the long term, the blue light that comes from LEDs can damage the retina and other functions of the eye blindness.  With chronic exposure to blue light from LEDS, researchers are predicting an epidemic of eye disease, especially from the large population of baby boomers.  Put me in the category. 

I highly recommended that you watch the thirty-minute interview of Dr. Wunsch by Dr. Mercola.  I had to watch this interview three times before I took in all the information.  There is also a transcript for download on the page if that is easier.  The damage from blue light in combination with age will cause a significant increase in eye disease.  We are exposed to blue light from LEDs on our computers, cell phones, TVs, and now have brought it into our homes through government mandate to reduce our carbon footprint.  I doubt that the government can stop environmental change, but you can count on our eyes being damaged.

I was alarmed after the doctor told me that my left eye would not heal.  The diagnosis is posterior vitreous detachment.  “That floater you see is where the shadow of the damage is projecting onto your retina,” he said.  I questioned the doctor at length about healing and he was adamant that it would not and that it may get worse. He said I should come back in four weeks and that appointment is now ten days away. 

I spend a lot of time on my computer, watching TV, and using my cell phone. I was more than happy to change out my incandescent bulbs for LEDs.  The local power company was very helpful as they sent six free light bulbs to help the effort.  This was two years prior.  When I found the article about LEDS, it began to come home what had happened. The three lights in my home where I read are all on my left side.  I had not only had the exposure to blue light from the multiple electronic sources, now it is from my reading light and general home lighting as well.

The good news is we are not doomed. There is hope for healing and it is very simple.  I now wonder if doctors ever read any new research after they get out of medical school.  I found the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) guidelines for a vitreous detachment and my ophthalmologist had followed them exactly.  This is including how he examined my eye as well as the time for another visit.  What a guy!  I thought that he was very efficient and seemed to really know his stuff. He failed to tell me I was going blind from all the LED exposure and that there is a simple solution—stop using LEDs. That ain’t going to happen.

It turns out, as Dr. Wunsch described the various light effects, that near infrared is very healing.  This occurs by two processes. First there is the stimulation of energy through the deeply penetrating near infrared light of 700 to 1,400 nm. It penetrates as much as 5 cm (2 inches) or more into our body.  This radiant energy accounts for a large portion of our ATP production or our cellular energy molecule. This additional energy promotes healing and gives vigor to biological processes. Second, there is an exclusion zone formed at the boundaries of cell membranes as well as on internal boundaries to bodies inside of the cells from infrared energy absorption. The exclusion zone is significant in charge boundaries and how it helps discrimination of what goes through the cell membrane.  Here is a ten-minute video by Dr. Gerald Pollack of this new understanding–Water, Cells, and Life.

I was amazed at how many stories and advice there are about healing eyes with infrared light. This goes all the way back to the Romans and Greeks.  Here is a recent history from Michael Hamblin of Harvard University on the mechanisms of low level light therapy.  Dr. William Horatio Bates, M.D. (1860-1931) suggested to close the eyes and turn the face directly into the sun for five minutes several times per day.  This was very controversial then and now. It seems safe enough with the eyes closed.  What did I have to lose. The doctor has told me my disease is from old age and it will not heal.

Astonishment filled me as in the first few days the floater had reduced in size by fifty percent.  My visual acuity had significantly improved.  Now, two weeks later, the black floater has reduced by seventy five percent and has turned into a translucent jell-like blob.  I had to change my reading glasses from 2.0 to 1.5 magnification as my eyes have improved. I not only did the sun exposure thing, I also found an infrared heat lamp and used it for about thirty minutes each day for my whole body.  It is unbelievable about how much better I feel. The next visit to my ophthalmologist should be interesting–not that I would challenge a doctor. . .

The other things I did were change all my LED lights that I use for reading back to incandescent. At the advice of Dr. Mercola, I purchased a pair of blue-blocker reading glasses ($15 Amazon) in my reading power and they work great. I use them for watching TV as well as when I am using my computer.  When will they ever learn. . . What about the children?

Back to sunlight, firelight, and candles. –Pandemic Survivor