(Newswire.net — November 18, 2020) — Christmas is one of the most wonderful times of the year. Everyone enjoys celebrating the holidays with friends and family. The holidays are the perfect time to rest, relax, and be grateful for all that we have.
Because the holidays are so special, people all over the world look for ways to show their spirit and share in the cheer. One of the most popular ways to celebrate is by stringing lights. Everyone enjoys looking at Christmas lights, and they can truly help us all to share in the spirit.
However, though LED Christmas lights are beautiful to behold, they can also sometimes be irritating to our eyes. In this article, we will discuss why LED lights can cause sensitivity and look at when you can do to reduce the effect they have on your eyes.
Why Are Our Eyes Sensitive to LED Lights?
Our eyes move very rapidly when we change our gaze from one image to another. The very fast movement of our eyes is known as saccades. We can actually see around 2,000 flashes of light in any given second due to this phenomenon. Lighting that is powered by an alternating current supply will dim and brighten extremely quickly to maintain the current. However, LED lighting actually turns on and off completely extremely fast, causing flashing. Our brains might not notice this fluctuating pattern in the current, but our eyes can feel the strain.
Additionally, certain wavelengths of light can make our eyes more sensitive. This is known as the “color temperature” of the light. People who are photosensitive, or sensitive to light, typically have a stronger reaction to light that is a cooler shade, closer to natural daylight and the blue-white spectrum.
What Are Some Symptoms of Eye Strain?
Eye strain can creep up on you. You may not immediately identify eye strain when it’s happening, but then can later notice that you’re not feeling like yourself.
It’s important to pay attention to how you’re feeling when you’re looking at LED lights so that you understand your level of sensitivity. There are several symptoms of light sensitivity. Some of the most common are:
- Eye inflammation
- Eye-watering and burning
- Blinking or squinting
- Frequently closing your eyes
- Headaches and migraines
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Wanting to turn away from a light source or photophobia
How Can I Reduce the Strain of LED Lights?
The main reason why LED lights cause strain on your eyes is because of the flicker that our eyes can see due to saccades. One of the easiest ways is to reduce this strain is by using lamps that have a direct current so that the flickering doesn’t occur. However, this is necessarily more expensive, and it’s not a solution for Christmas lights.
You can also find some LED Christmas lights that are flicker-free. They may be a little more expensive, but they can help to reduce the strain on your eyes. Additionally, using warmer lights rather than those that are a cooler shade can help to reduce strain.
A great way to reduce the strain that you get from LED Christmas lights is to purchase lights that can be dimmed. While it is a little more expensive, investing in adjustable high-quality Christmas lights can be very beneficial. Certain lights, such as Twinkly Home and Twinkly Pro lights allow you to use an app on your smartphone to adjust the brightness. This can significantly reduce the strain on your eyes, especially if you’re around your Christmas lights display often throughout the day.
Another tip for reducing the strain on your eyes is to make sure that you don’t look at the lights too much. Make sure that you turn off the lights at a certain time every night. Even though you may be tempted to leave your lights on all night in order to entertain the neighborhood, if you are constantly surrounded by your lights, this can cause a lot of strain on your eyes. Additionally, leaving your lights on at all times can cost you a lot of extra money and you may also be facing a fire hazard if you constantly have your lights on.
Enjoy the Holidays
The holidays are a wonderful time of the year. We all enjoy getting together with those closest to us and celebrating. Along with this celebration often comes decoration. We use decorations to show our spirit and lift up those around us. LED Christmas lights are the most popular way to decorate for the holidays, and for good reason. You can select lights in any color or lighting effect that suits your taste. This allows you to create a unique and personalized display. Additionally, LED Christmas lights are bright, festive, and mesmerizing, making them extremely popular.
However, LED Christmas lights can indeed cause eye strain. You may notice that you’re suffering from eye strain if you are tempted to turn away from your lights, notice your eyes watering or burning, or if you are experiencing migraines.
There are some things you can do to reduce the amount of strain on your eyes. You can purchase Christmas lights that can be dimmed or ones that have a flicker-free current. While these lights are a bit more expensive, they can truly make a difference on the amount of eye strain you’re experiencing. Furthermore, always make sure to take breaks from your lights throughout the day. Don’t regard them too frequently, and make sure you turn them off completely when you turn in for the night.
Following simple tips for reducing eye strain can truly make a difference in the way you feel this holiday season. Making sure to protect your eyes from too much strain will ensure that you’re able to enjoy beautiful LED Christmas lights for many seasons to come.