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Energy-Saving Light Bulbs & Seizures

Energy-saving light bulbs are replacing incandescents to help light rooms with far less required electricity. Some energy-saving replacements, such as LEDs, have very few heath concerns and are not connected with seizures. Others, such as the common fluorescent bulb, can sometimes have dangerous and unexpected side-effects, such as triggering seizures in some people.

  1. Fluorescents

    • Fluorescent lights are the most common alternative to incandescent lights. They are filled with a gas that reacts to an electrical current and releases energy, a process that fills a special coating on the inside of the bulbs with energy. The coating releases this energy as light. The fluorescent light ballast manages the current, ensuring it has the proper voltage and cycles through the bulb at the right speed.

    Fluorescent Flicker

    • With some fluorescent lights, especially those that cycle at 60 hertz, each separate cycle produces an energy wave that causes the bulb to glow. These separate cycles do not always run together, and can often be perceived by the human eye. It looks like a flickering bulb, but the effect is a natural part of the fluorescent process.

    Flicker Problems

    • These light flickers can be distracting, and in some people they can cause several health problems. Migraines are one of the most common side-effects, since the flickering can be difficult for eyes to constantly adjust to. The bulbs have also been known to induce seizures.

    Seizure Likelihood

    • Not everyone is susceptible to seizures from fluorescent lights--it is only the flickering that causes seizures, so only those who are predisposed to seizures in the first place suffer from them. Seizures do not occur in those who are not epileptics or do not suffer from a similar condition.

    Newer Fluorescents

    • Newer fluorescent lights cycle at 120 hertz, twice the speed of the 60 hertz versions. This makes any flicker so fast that it is not discernible by the human eye, and greatly reduces migraine and seizure possibilities. These newer fluorescent lights use electronic ballasts instead of the older magnetic ballasts, and the electronic circuits can create a stable flow of electricity at a much higher frequency.

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