Microwave - and other forms of electromagnetic - radiation are major (but conveniently disregarded, ignored, and overlooked) factors in many modern unexplained disease states. Insomnia, anxiety, vision problems, swollen lymph, headaches, extreme thirst, night sweats, fatigue, memory and concentration problems, muscle pain, weakened immunity, allergies, heart problems, and intestinal disturbances are all symptoms found in a disease process the Russians described in the 70's as Microwave Sickness.
The blue light in LED lighting that is increasingly used in our homes can damage the eye's retina while disturbing our biological and sleep rhythms, a French health authority warned in a new report.
New scientific evidence confirms the "phototoxic effects" of short-term exposures to high-intensity blue light, as well as an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration after chronic exposure to lower-intensity sources, according to the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, known as ANSES. Age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss among people over 50, causes damage to the macula, a small spot near the center of the retina that's needed for sharp central vision.
Yet protection from the harmful effects to the retina offered by "anti-blue light" screens, filters and sunglasses varies, and their ability to preserve sleep rhythms is not proven, ANSES also said.
Lighting 101
LEDs or light-emitting diodes consist of a semiconductor chip positioned on a reflective surface; when electricity runs through the semiconductor, light is produced.
Blue light itself is not new. Sunlight produces rays of blue that have higher energy than other wavelengths in the light spectrum. And old-fashioned lightbulbs produced some blue light, though less than what is emitted by energy-efficient curlicue (fluorescent) lightbulbs or LEDs.
LEDs are "undergoing rapid technological and economic development as a new source of lighting. For many years, they were only used in electronics but are now found as integral parts of lighting systems," ANSES wrote in a 2016 report. Today, LEDs are used for domestic purposes as well as industrial and commercial ones.
In the United States, LED products have been seeing increased adoption, a positive development in terms of energy consumption because they use significantly less electricity per lumen than many traditional lighting technologies, according to the US Department of Energy. Market penetration of LED lighting is increasing and will represent 48% of total lumen-hour sales by 2020 and 84% by 2030, the agency estimates.
ANSES differentiates types of blue light in its report. For example, "warm white" domestic LED lighting has weak phototoxicity risks, similar to traditional lighting, according to ANSES. However, other LED lighting sources, including the newest flashlights, car headlights and some toys, produce a whiter and "colder" blue light that is more harmful.
Additional scientific evidence
An American study also described the use of blue light as "increasingly prominent" in today's world. Lead author Gianluca Tosini, professor and chief scientific research officer at Atlanta's Morehouse School of Medicine, said blue light can indeed damage the eyes, but only if the wavelengths are below 455 nanometers and the intensity is quite high.
"There are blue light photoreceptors in the retina that directly communicate with the brain circadian clock," Tosini, who was not involved in the ANSES report, wrote in an email. "It is true that exposure to light in the evening affect sleep and circadian rhythms mostly by inhibiting the synthesis of the sleep promoting hormone melatonin."
Yet he also said that a few studies have shown that "exposure to blue light in the middle of the day may have beneficial effects" in that it increases alertness.
Janet Sparrow, a professor of ophthalmic sciences at Columbia University, wrote in an email that "blue light is thought to help individuals to maintain the daily rhythms that allow sleep."
The retina "accumulates fluorescent molecules generally referred to as lipofuscin," explained Sparrow, who was not involved in the ANSES report. "These compounds become more abundant with age and are sensitive to blue light." Early evidence suggests that this light sensitivity may lead to unhealthy optical responses over the long term, she said.
Tosini noted that scientists are convinced that exposure to LED blue light in the range of 470 to 480 nanometers for a short to medium period (days to weeks) should not significantly increase the risk of eye disease, but the same is not necessarily true for long-term exposure (months to years).
"I believe that more studies are needed on this topic that is really affecting the health of many citizens," he said. He added a potential solution to the problem of blue light would be to develop intelligent lighting systems that change the composition of lighting throughout the day.
An unrelated 2017 review of scientific studies also lends support to the finding in the ANSES report that sunglasses and filters may not protect us. The review investigated the potential benefits or harms of "blue-blocking" lenses, marketed to protect against phototoxicity, and found "a lack of high quality evidence" to support their use "for the general population to improve visual performance or sleep quality, alleviate eye fatigue or conserve macular health."
However, Sparrow said that, generally, sunglasses block ultraviolet light, and those "that have a yellow tint should be preferred as they will also reduce the amount of blue light that reaches the retina."
Ultimately, ANSES believes the recommended maximum limit on short-term exposure to blue light should be revised downward, even if most people would only rarely be able to meet that level. Children and teenagers, whose eyes do not fully filter blue light, are particularly sensitive to the harms of cold blue light, the French authority noted. The agency also recommended that only low-risk LED devices be available to consumers and the luminosity of car headlights be reduced.
There is growing evidence for adverse ocular effects of blue light emitted from LED screens from computers, cell phones and tablets which can cause direct retinal damage and also inhibit melatonin production in the pineal gland and alter circadian rhythms. Melatonin is a potent antioxidant which is produced in the pineal gland and is also found in the retina where it modulates genes responsible for circadian rhythms via the ganglion cell layer (Blasiak 2016). Researchers have found photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) in the mammalian brain which are not related to image formation but direct circadian rhythms, pupil constriction and alertness through 465nm blue light Vandewalle(2018).
This cascade of biological effects contributes to a host of chronic disease states, including high blood pressure, depression and cancer.
Dr David Blask and colleagues have conducted studies showing that light suppresses melatonin leading to stimulation of breast cancer growth. When they grafted human MCF-7 breast cancer cell xenograft on mice and exposed one to light- light and the other to light-dark environments they found the light- light group had increased cancer cell growth rates. (Blask 2002) The International Agencyfor Cancer Research (IARC) classified shift work that involves circadian disruption as a “probable carcinogen”. (IARC 2007)
Harvard Recommendations for Reducing Blue Light Exposure
LED lights from lightbulbs, computers, cell phones, video games and tablets emit blue light from the screen. Overhead LED lights that are now commonly used also emit more blue light than fluorescent light bulbs, and incandescent light bulbs emit the least blue light. Although much more energy efficient, LED lighting which has largely replaced incandescent in homes, businesses and street lights, may be creating a health risk through complex biologic effects on our melatonin levels and circadian rhythms. Here are the Harvard guidelines Blue light has a dark side. Updated August 13, 2018.
Protect yourself from blue light at night (Harvard 2018)
Use dim red lights for night lights. Red light has the least power to shift circadian rhythm and suppress melatonin.
Avoid looking at bright screens beginning two to three hours before bed.
If you work a night shift or use a lot of electronic devices at night, consider wearing blue-light blocking glasses or installing an app that filters the blue/green wavelength at night.
Expose yourself to lots of bright light during the day, which will boost your ability to sleep at night, as well as your mood and alertness during daylight.
Blue Light Blocking Glasses for Improved Physical and Mental Health
Amber colored blue light absorbing glasses, computer and cell phone screen covers have been developed to block blue light from artificial LED lighting and screens, typically 2-3 hours before bedtime. More research needs to be done, however, scientists have found that using these blue light blocking devices may promote higher melatonin levels near bedtime thus reducing insomnia. Evidence is showing the positive effects on blue light blocking glasses not only on sleep quality and timing (Zebrine 2018; Eskai 2016; Burkhart 2009) but also potentially on symptoms of mania in those with manic depressive symptoms by acting as physiologic “dark therapy” not necessarily related to melatonin production (Shirahama 2018; Henriksen 2016). Quality varies with the amount and spectrum of blue light blocked by different glasses. If you are purchasing glasses it is important to get high quality tested glasses and know which frequencies are blocked either full blue light blockage (400-500nm), full blue green blockage (400-550nm ) or specific blue frequencies (i.e.480nm) blocked on the spectrum (from 400-550nm). In general the more full blue light spectrum blocked the better it will enhance melatonin production. Consumer Reports-3 Blue Blockers Put to the Test
Apple has introduced “Nightshift” software into their new phones (OS9.3 and above) that reduces blue light at night. You can access by pressing Settings >Display&Brightness >NightShift and set it to the times you wish the display to reduce blue light. Some research from the Lighting Research Center has shown that this Apple setting may not help you sleep as much as anticipated as the brightness of the screen and excess mental stimulation may also be factors on melatonin levels.
Dr. Charles Czeisler Discusses Broad Health Impacts of Poor Sleep
Charles A. Czeisler, MD, PhD, Chief, Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, explains the critical impacts of sleep on brain function and physical health. He states that sleep is the third pillar of good health along with nutrition and exercise. Lowering blue light at night is component of healthy sleep. Dr. Czeisler , whose group has worked with astronauts to reset their circadian rhythms before going into space research, highlights the many bodily systems effected by insomnia including
Doctors Warn That LED City Street Lights Blue Spectrum Can Damage Vision
In 2016 the American Medical Association warned cities that the new energy efficient street light that were being installed to combat global climate change can harm the retina, affect circadian rhythms and sleep patterns. Studies have shown that brighter residential nighttime lighting is associated with sleep disruption. AMA Board Member Maya A. Babu, M.D., M.B.A states, “Despite the energy efficiency benefits, some LED lights are harmful when used as street lighting, The new AMA guidance encourages proper attention to optimal design and engineering features when converting to LED lighting that minimize detrimental health and environmental effects.”
A new 2018 paper, Fatal Collision: Are Wireless Headsets a Risk in Treating Patients?, highlights the potential bodily harm from wearing wireless headsets, augmented reality systems and glass-type eyewear. Co-authored by Cindy Sage, who is also co- author of the Bioinitiative Report, this review article reveals that these devices, are connected to the internet and have similar radiation (2.4 and 5GHz) to cell phones. An association has been identified between long term cell phone use and brain cancers on the same side of the head. There is also the concern for lack of concentration and distraction when using these devices, similar to cell phones. Damage to eye structures is an obvious concern.
These wireless devices are increasingly being used in medicine (google glass-type wearables) and by educators but no thought has been given to the harm from long term use. Children are seen in ads wearing wireless headsets for entertainment. It is the next best marketing and sales opportunity in technology. Sage and Hardell note, “using wireless glass-type devices can expose the user to a specific absorption rates (SAR) of 1.11–1.46 W/kg of radiofrequency radiation. That RF intensity is as high as or higher than RF emissions of some cell phones. Prolonged use of cell phones used ipsilaterally at the head has been associated with statistically significant increased risk of glioma and acoustic neuroma.” Studies are inadequate to determine safety of these wireless devices long term. There are to date insufficient protective guidelines for adults or children who are increasing using these devices for entertainment, in classrooms and therapeutically in medicine. Precautionary recommendations for use are needed.
Eye Absorption of Radiation from Cell Phones and Virtual Reality
In a new paper Fernandez et al (2018) reveals that young eyes and brains absorb 2 to 5 fold more radiation than that of an adult. He cautions that we need to reexamine regulations and compliance with regards to these devices as testing uses a large adult male (SAM) . Dr. Fernandez also advises precautions proposed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, that young children should not use cell phones. This study indicated virtual reality type devices should also not be used by children. He urges wired connections to reduce children’s needless exposure to non-ionizing radiation. More research is critically needed in this area as widespread commercial use has already begun.
China bans mobile phones in classrooms: Primary and middle school students in Shandong province will not be allowed to use cellphones or tablets in classrooms starting from Nov 1, according to a new regulation.China Daily/Asia News Network. Oct 10, 2018. China Bans Smart Phones in Schools
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Strategies to decrease social jetlag: Reducing evening blue light advances sleep and melatonin. (2018) Zerbini G Eur J Neurosci. 2018 Dec 2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30506899
Blocking Short-Wavelength Component of the Visible Light Emitted by Smartphones’ Screens Improves Human Sleep Quality. (2018) Mortazavi SAR. J Biomed Phys Eng. 2018 Dec 1;8(4):375-380. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30568927
Women with hereditary breast cancer predispositions should avoid using their smartphones, tablets, and laptops at night. (2018)Mortazavi SAR and Mortazavi SMJ. Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2018 Feb;21(2):112-115. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29456806
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Use of Gray Sunglasses to Alleviate Hypomanic State in Two Patients with Bipolar II Disorder. (2018) Bipolar Disord. 2018 Nov 14. Shirahama M et al. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30430720
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Wearing blue light-blocking glasses in the evening advances circadian rhythms in the patients with delayed sleep phase disorder: An open-label trial. (2016) Esaki Y et al. Chronobiol Int. 2016;33(8):1037-44. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27322730
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Computer Vision Syndrome
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Visual Fatigue Induced by Viewing a Tablet Computer with a High-resolution Display. Kim DJ. Korean J Ophthalmic. 2017 Oct;31(5):388-393. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28914003
Computer visionsyndrome prevalence, knowledge and associated factors among Saudi Arabia University Students: Is it a serious problem? (2017) Al Rashid SH. Int J Health Sci (Qassim) 2017 Nov-Dec;11(5):17-19. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29114189
Computer visionsyndrome and associated factors among medical and engineering students in chennai. (2014). Logaraj M. Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2014 Mar;4(2):179-85. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24761234
Computer Vision Syndrome: A Review. (2005) Bleh C et al. Survey of Ophthalmology. May June 2005. Volume 50, Issue 3, Pages 253–262. https://www.surveyophthalmol.com/article/s0039-6257(05)00009-3/abstract https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29450383
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Dosimetry Using a Localized Exposure System in the Millimeter-Wave Band for in vivo Studies on Ocular Effects.(2014) Sasaki et al., Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques. (2014) Sasaki K et al., . 19 May 2014, 62(7): 1554-1564. http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6818422/
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Blue Light Blocking Glasses for Improved Physical and Mental Health
A new 2018 paper, 