LED Lights Can Damage Eyes, Disturb Sleep Patterns, Warns European Health Watchdog

A French health agency claimed Thursday that the LED lighting used in households can damage the eye's retina and disturb natural sleep patterns.

The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) warned in a statement that LED lighting is "photo-toxic" and can cause an irreversible loss in retinal eye cells.

LED stands for light-emitting diode and when compared to a regular incandescent lightbulb, an LED lightbulb is more efficient as it can use only one-fifth of energy to produce the same amount of brightness. Yahoo News reported last week that the global micro and macro LED market is expected to reach $6 million by 2024.

ANSES said that automobile makers should "limit the luminosity of vehicle headlights" and recommended buying "warm white" LED lighting for homes as an alternative to "cool white" LED lightbulbs commonly found in retail stores.

While LED lighting found in homes and on automobiles can damage your eyes, LED lighting in electronics can negatively affect your natural sleeping patterns, ANSES added.

A researcher and project manager at ANSES, Dina Attia, said that disturbed circadian rhythms caused by LED lighting in electronics can cause ailments such as diabetes, cardiovascular illnesses and cancer in the long run. It's therefore healthy to refrain from using electronic devices such as phones and portable gaming systems before going to sleep or while in the dark. Attia added young children and adolescents should be especially careful, as the crystalline lens in their eyes are not fully formed.

Last but not least, the ANSES report claimed that a stroboscopic effect in some LED lights can cause "headaches, visual fatigue, and a higher risk of accidents."