Be wary of the invisible but harmful flicker of LED lights

Offering a plethora of advantages ranging from high energy efficiency and cost effectiveness to long life and design flexibility, LED lighting (Light emitting diodes) today has become mainstream. Be it our home, office or any other setting, LED lights are everywhere. While LED lighting is without doubt the greatest and most exciting advancement in the lighting arena, there is a “Dark” side to the “Bright” story.

It’s the invisible flicker present in LED lights

Flicker is constant fluctuation of light output and it is of two types – Visible and Invisible. Visible flicker which is in the frequency range of 100 hertz can be seen by naked eye. However, any flicker above 100 hertz is termed as invisible flicker which human eye cannot detect, and it is the one that we all should be concerned about.

Here’s how to check invisible flicker

• Open your smartphone camera in slow motion video mode.
• Point towards the LED light source.
• You will notice a visible distortion. This is the invisible flicker.

Understanding the impact of invisible flicker on human eyes and health

LED lights with high flicker rate can cause various health complications. Because of the flicker, human eyes are forced to rapidly adjust to changing light output, which stresses the eye muscles. Studies has revealed that prolonged exposure to flicker emitted by LED lights can lead to various health problems including eye strain, headaches, blurred vision, fatigue, apparent slowing or stopping of motion, reduced visual task performance and in some cases, neurological problems.

Why we should be concerned about this problem?

We have our eyes open for around 6,000 hours a year and most of this time we are exposed to artificial light, so simply imagine the impact LED on our eye and overall health over prolonged exposure. If you are an office goer, you might have experienced headaches, eye strain or dizziness, and the culprit could be the LED lights installed at your office. In certain industrial settings, LED flicker can lead to performance issues and even mishaps.

Children are most susceptible to these health hazards as they are exposed to LEDs in schools, homes, malls and everywhere else. Studying for long hours under LED lights with high flicker can cause eyesight problems in children. Same goes for teenagers who spend considerable amount of time reading and preparing for exams.

Is there any safe limit for flicker?

While flicker is harmful for eye health as revealed by several studies, there is not much awareness on this subject in India, and there are no regulations on LED light flicker levels yet. However, IEEE standards PAR 1789, California has prescribed the threshold limit of 30%. This is important to note that LED products from different brands available in India have flicker percentage varying between 40 to 80 percent, which is much higher than the safe limit of 30%.

So, is there a solution to this problem?

Yes, there is. While flicker cannot be brought to zero level, but it can certainly be reduced without impacting the performance of the LED light. The key to mitigating flicker lies in the LED driver which can eliminate the problem by supplying the constant non-oscillating current to the LED.

Presenting Orient EyeLuv LEDs with Flicker Control Technology

As a trusted and responsible brand, Orient Electric has addressed the issue by launching “EyeLuv series LED Lights” with Flicker Control Technology which reduces the invisible but harmful flicker present in LED lights.

Orient’s EyeLuv range of LEDs features lamps, battens, downlighters and recess panels, designed to provide superior lighting with efficiency, comfort and safety.

Studies to support the health benefits of Orient EyeLuv LED lights

A research was carried out in an NABL accredited Lab to check performance of Orient EyeLuv LEDs as compared to LED lights of other well-known Indian brands. The study, which was conducted on respondents under different scenarios for multiple days, revealed that compared to other brands, Orient EyeLuv exposure resulted in 64% lesser number of headaches, 55% lesser eye strain and 71% lesser cases of fatigue. Also, productivity level under Orient EyeLuv was 26.25% better than others. Amongst all LEDs, Orient EyeLuv has the lowest flicker percentage of below 8% while flicker percentage in other LEDs ranged between 40% to 80%.

A testament to the same is that the Orient EyeLuv LEDs range with Flicker Control Technology has also been awarded a certificate of recommendation Indian Medical Academy for Preventive Health.

So, don’t strain your eyes anymore. Switch to Orient EyeLuv LED lights that care for your eyes. #FlickerNahiTohAankheinSahi.