Blue light… an enemy we are exposed to on a daily basis, lurking in the shadows (or rather, in plain sight).
Because you should know by now, it is everywhere! Your phone, your computer, your tablet, lighting, and even the sun! Many things emit blue light.
And even if it can have its good sides, it would seem that it can cause damage to your eyes and your overall health.
It is therefore normal that we are increasingly looking for solutions to protect ourselves from it. Among them, blue light-free light bulbs are a recent and promising avenue. We're telling you everything about this new technology!
Blue light: an explanation of the phenomenon
Did you know that we are exposed to blue light on a daily basis? Yes, because it is emitted by:
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☀️ the sun
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📱 phones, televisions, computers, tablets… in short, screens
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💡 modern LED lighting
Like everyone else, you are widely exposed to blue light, unless you are a Hobbit living in a hole in the Shire (although even they were exposed to it, just from the sun).
However, not all blue light is bad.
The light emitted by the sun is beneficial to the body because it helps regulate the circadian rhythm and promotes good sleep.
Its wavelength is absolutely not harmful to humans; quite the opposite.
The problem is blue-violet light (between 380 and 450 nanometers), which is one of the most intense parts of the light spectrum, with a very short wavelength, close to ultraviolet (UV) rays.
LEDs: many advantages, but one drawback: blue light
What are LEDs?
Our English-speaking friends will tell you that LED stands for Light-Emitting Diode.
We call them electroluminescent diodes, an electronic component that emits light when an electric current passes through it.
This technology, which has replaced incandescent bulbs, is now found almost everywhere, particularly in:
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🛋️ the lighting you use at home
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🏬 street and store lighting
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💻 all your screens (smartphone, computer, television, tablet…)
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🧸 some children's toys
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🚘 your car headlights
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🎄 decorative lighting
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🚦 traffic signals
The advantages of LEDs
If they are used so much, it is because they have many good points, such as:
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🔆 powerful lighting
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🧓 a very long lifespan
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⚡ low power consumption
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🌡️ limited heat emission
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✨ instant operation: they turn on and off immediately
Why is light from LED bulbs dangerous?
We are now surrounded by LEDs, present almost everywhere in our environment, and at the same time, we spend more and more time in front of screens.
Inevitably, this leads to some drawbacks for the simple reason that prolonged exposure to artificial blue light is potentially dangerous to our health. The light emitted by LEDs is of very high intensity. Add to that the time of exposure (we spend a lot of time in front of screens), and that's where the problems can begin.
The human eye has always been accustomed to "warm" lighting, especially in the evening. With LEDs, it must tolerate a much "colder" and more violent blue light. It is no wonder that our eyes do not particularly enjoy this aggression, which is not without consequences.
What are the dangers of blue light from an LED bulb?
Even though it remains to be verified, more and more studies and reports tend to say that this artificial light could cause in the short term:
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👀 digital eye strain (including symptoms such as reduced visual acuity and other vision problems, redness and stinging in the eyes, headaches…)
And in the long term:
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⚫ age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
Blue light-free light bulbs: a solution for the future?
Knowing the potential dangers that blue light can cause, it is natural that we try by various means to find safer alternatives for our health.
Let's look at blue light-free light bulbs.
An interesting and promising avenue…
Until now, researchers have managed to mask blue light but without eliminating it completely. Many manufacturers already offer bulbs that reduce the impact of this light, without getting rid of it entirely.
The goal is primarily to develop a new type of LED bulb without any harmful blue light, in order to keep all the benefits of LEDs while protecting our precious eyes.
LED bulb without blue light: how does it work?
To put it simply, a blue light-free bulb produces warm white light while avoiding the range of wavelengths that cause problems.
Researchers at the American Chemical Society have in fact developed this type of bulb. To do this, they manufactured a phosphor, used in a violet LED device, and mixed it with red and green light-emitting phosphors. This innovation made it possible to produce the expected warm white light while reducing the intensity of blue light, which was not previously the case with LED bulbs you find in stores.
Another solution: use red and yellow lights, which are particularly conducive to falling asleep and diffuse a warm, soft light.
… but still under study
Keeping the benefits of LEDs without the risk of damaging our eyes… quite a challenge! And the more complicated it is, the longer it takes to implement.
The light produced by the American Chemical Society scientists corresponds well to the desired effect, namely a warm and powerful light without any blue light emission. The color of objects is similar to that revealed by natural light, but the researchers nevertheless specify that there is still work to be done before these bulbs can be used for daily use.
It is for this reason that at present, all these solutions are not yet sufficiently developed and it is difficult to obtain these famous blue light-free LED bulbs, at least in France.
Because, furthermore, the idea is not just for them to apply to lamps, but also to smartphone, TV, and other screens…
Note that these blue light-free bulbs are already available on some sites and in certain countries.
Several American or English brands and manufacturers offer them on their websites, so it is possible to get them, but not just by popping into the local hardware store.
But the good news is that researchers and scientists continue to work actively on the subject, and it is highly likely that these bulbs will eventually reach the expected level of efficiency and make their appearance on the market in the coming years.
So in the meantime, what do we do?
It remains possible to limit the amount of blue light emitted by your bulbs without waiting for new technologies.
The LED bulbs currently on the market emit warm or cold light, depending on their color temperature expressed in degrees Kelvin. The scale ranges from 2200 to 6000 Kelvins.
The lower the number, the warmer the light. We speak of warm white light bulbs between 2500 and 3000 Kelvins. Then we move on to neutral white, and at 5500 Kelvins and above, to cold white.
You will find the light temperature on your bulb's packaging, alongside a value in lumens which describes the amount of light produced.
So, what does this have to do with blue light? It's simple: warm light emits less harmful blue light than cold light. So you can already limit the amount of blue light you are exposed to with your lighting by choosing warm light LED bulbs (2500 to 3000 Kelvins).
Our practical guide to protecting yourself from the harmful effects of LED blue light
While waiting for the arrival of these blue light-free bulbs (and also because they won't fix everything anyway), here is a short list of tips to apply today to protect yourself from LED blue light:
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👓 use anti-blue light glasses to protect your eyes: we necessarily mention it, it's our specialty, but it is a very good solution to specifically filter out the harmful part of blue light
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📴 limit your time spent on screens: we know, this is probably the most difficult advice to apply, and yet it is the most effective! If you struggle, try at least to take regular breaks, do some eye exercises to relieve your eyes (the 20-20-20 method, for example), force yourself to disconnect at least 1.5 hours before going to bed and not to use screens at night; you'll sleep all the better for it!
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📱 use a filter or an anti-blue light app to reduce blue light from screens: not necessarily the best way, but it's always better than nothing!
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🧒 be careful with LED toys for children/babies and decorative lamps like string lights and night lights which can emit light particularly rich in blue and, in the long term, harm your little one's eyes and their health.
Final word: are blue light-free bulbs the solution to protect us from harmful artificial light?
So yes, there is blue light in many lighting fixtures, including LED bulbs, and unfortunately, it would seem that this light is harmful to our eyes.
But that doesn't mean you risk going blind because of your LED lamp or staring at your phone! What can become dangerous is daily overexposure to these LEDs.
However, you cannot stop progress: research is ongoing and encouraging for bringing blue light-free LED bulbs to market.
So, a little more patience. Opt for warm white bulbs (color temperature between 2500 and 3000 Kelvins) in the meantime, and adopt a few good practices to protect yourself from blue light on a daily basis.
Comments
Bonjour, Bravo ! très bon article , clair et pédagogique , enfin je sais l’état de la recherche et le choix le plus intelligent a faire . Merci
Bien cordialement