November is National Epilepsy Month and we at Sitler’s wanted to take the time to talk about how fluorescent lighting may contribute to increasing the risk of photosensitive seizures. It is important to state that epilepsy cases differ person to person and not all people who suffer from seizures are photosensitive. Around 1 in 100 people suffer from photosensitive epilepsy, which can be triggered by many circumstances, such as strobing or flashing lights, flickering lights, or contrasting light and dark patterns.
Do Fluorescent Lights Trigger Photosensitive Seizures
What triggers a photosensitive seizure for one person may not trigger someone else. Seizure triggers range from playing long hours of video games, strobe lights, multiple camera flashes, watching TV in a dark room and faulty fluorescent lighting.
That’s right, flickering and faulty fluorescent lighting may trigger a seizure in someone with photosensitive epilepsy. We’ve all seen them before; maybe in our work office, at the doctor, in aisle 12 of Walmart. Something that is merely irritating to us, people who don’t suffer from seizures, could be a health risk for someone who does.
What’s the Solution?
Depending on what triggers the seizure, there are many ways of treating photosensitive seizures. There are prescription glasses, prescribed medication, lowering the amount of time in front of a TV or computer screen, and installing LED lighting.
LED lighting has a great reputation for its energy efficiency and bright solid-state lighting. Fluorescent lighting on the other hand, is known to burn out due to bad ballasts or bulbs, and can flicker for days or weeks before being replaced. Installing LED lights not only is great for productivity in offices or helping keep foods fresh in grocery stores, it can also help people suffering from photosensitive epilepsy.
Start your LED Journey Today!
Whether you are looking to save money on your home or business energy bills or are hoping to reduce the risk of photosensitive seizure this National Epilepsy Month, contact us today at (319)-519-0039 or send us an email to get started.
Posted in Human Centric Lighting, LED Hospital Lighting