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Fluorescent Lights & Toddler Eyesight

With many people switching to fluorescent bulbs in an attempt to lessen their carbon footprint, some parents wonder what the effects are on their children's eyes. Some research shows that fluorescent bulbs can damage eyesight.

  1. Age-Related Macular Degeneration

    • Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of "irreversible, functional blindness" in the young and shows up as severe blurring of the central vision. It used to be called "senile macular degeneration" because it mostly affected people in their 70s and 80s. However, scientists renamed it after it popped up in younger people. Unfortunately, this disease often is not apparent until decades after it starts injuring the eyes.

    Fluorescent Light

    • The use of fluorescent lights in lamps did not begin until 1939, and the people now losing their sight to AMD are the first generation to grow up under fluorescent lights in school. Fluorescent lights are an ultraviolet (UV) light/blue light. Studies show that the blue end of the light spectrum may contribute to retinal damage and may cause AMD. UV light also destroys photoreceptors and debris then builds up in the retina. This debris forms deposits that accumulate in the epithelium. The rate of this accumulation may be related to the retina's exposure to UV light and all of this may eventually cause AMD

    Children

    • Children's eyes are more transparent to UV light. A baby's retina receives about 90 percent of the visible light above 400 nanometers (nm) along with 80 to 85 percent of the ultraviolet light down to about 320 or even 300 nm.

    Prevention/Solution

    • When buying fluorescent bulbs, choose the bug light versions. These lights bulbs have a thick, yellow coating that blocks most of the UV light.

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