Page 60 - Lighting Magazine December 2017

2018 forECast | the led controVersy
The researchers found LEDs present no special concerns for blue- light hazard over other common light sources.
58 enLIGHTenment magazine | december 2017
www.enlightenmentmag.com
uorescent, LED, and daylight sources in terms of current blue-light hazard calculation procedures from the Illuminating Engineering Society and the Commission Internationale de l´Éclairage.
The results showed that in the majority of use cases, LEDs do not exhibit greater risk for blue- light hazard than other light sources — including incandescent. The researchers found LEDs present no special concerns for blue-light hazard over other common light sources in typical use cases because people’s natural photophobic responses — such as squinting and averting one’s gaze — limit exposure to bright light. Where photophobic responses might not occur — such as during eye surgery or with premature infants — caution is needed.
The researchers acknowledged that organiza- tions, such as the AMA, have advised against using LEDs with correlated color temperature (CCT) ex- ceeding 3000K, however, their LRC study found that avoiding blue-light hazard is primarily related to controlling the radiance of light sources, and much less related to spectral distribution, particu- larly when expressed in terms of CCT.
The LRC researchers state that CCT should
not be used as a metric for characterizing the potential for blue-light hazard, citing the fact that an incandescent lament at 2856K within a clear bulb is associated with a greater risk for blue-light hazard than any white LED source — including one of 6500K.
The spectral radiance distribution must be known to estimate blue-light hazard, particularly for those cases where photophobic responses might not occur. In these cases, and for general lighting applications, the researchers recommend the use of lenses, ba es, and di users to mitigate glare as the primary methods for reducing the risk of blue- light hazard.
The LRC presented a Webinar that addresses the issues raised in the AMA report, including blue- light hazard. A video of the webinar is available at h ps://youtu.be/2BcfcONrm58.
Keeping abreast of the latest information on LED lighting is a challenge since the eld is still rapidly evolving; however, you must do what you can to stay up-to-date so that you can continue to e ectively serve as the LED lighting expert for all segments of customers.