Health Effects of Artificial Light - European Commission

Artificial light is composed of visible light as well as some ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) radiations, and there is a concern that the emission levels ... AccessibilitytoolsGotocontentAboutthissiteLegalnoticeContactSearchLanguageselectordeCurrentlanguageenesfrNavigationpathEuropeanCommissionDGHealth&ConsumersPublichealthScientificCommitteesArtificialLight Sourcedocument:SCENIHR(2012)Summary&Details:GreenFactsAbout...HealthEffectsofArtificialLightLevel1:SummaryLevel2: DetailsLevel3:Source AboutLinks   GlossaryTerms Context-Withthegrowinguseofenergysavinglampsandthedevelopmentofnewlightingtechnologies,comestheworrythatsomepeoplewhohaveconditionsthatreacttolightmightbenegativelyaffectedbythisshift. Canthesenewartificiallightsourcesaffectthehealthofthegeneralpublicoroflight-sensitivepeople? Whyisartificiallightaconcern?Howdoartificiallightswork?Howdoeslightaffectlivingorganisms?Whateffectsonhealthhavebeenobserved?Whataretheeffectsonpeoplewhohaveconditionsthatmakethemsensitivetolight?Howandwherearepeopleexposedtoartificiallight?Aretherepotentialhealthriskslinkedtoartificiallights? Level1QuestionsTopLevel1:SummaryLevel2: DetailsLevel3:Source AboutLinksNextQuestion1.Whyisartificiallightaconcern?SingleenvelopeCFLArtificiallightiscomposedofvisiblelightaswellassomeultraviolet(UV)andinfrared(IR)radiations,andthereisaconcernthattheemissionlevelsofsomelampscouldbeharmfulfortheskinandtheeyes.Bothnaturalandartificiallightcanalsodisruptthehumanbodyclockandthehormonalsystem,andthiscancausehealthproblems.Theultravioletandthebluecomponentsoflighthavethegreatestpotentialtocauseharm.Somepeoplewithdiseasesthatmakethemsensitivetolightclaimthattheenergy-savinglamps(mainlycompactfluorescentlamps(CFLs)andlightemittingdiodes(LEDs))thathavebeenbroughttoreplaceincandescentlamps,maketheirsymptomsworseandplayaroleinawiderangeofdiseases.Theyalsoarguethatprotectivemeasuressuchascoveringthelampswithasecondglassenvelope(whichdecreasestheUV-emissions),areineffective.UsingsometypesofCFLsforlongperiodsoftimeatclosedistancesmayexposeuserstolevelsofUVnearingthelimitssettoprotectworkersfromskinandeyedamage.More...   More info in Level 2--> Level1QuestionsTopLevel1:SummaryLevel2: DetailsLevel3:Source AboutLinksNextQuestion2.Howdoartificiallightswork?Metalhalidelampscanposeariskifusedclosetotheskin,buttheyarenotintendedforthat.Humanshavelongcreatedartificiallightsbyburningorheatingmaterials,andcandlesaswellasotherflameoperatedlampsarestillincommonusetoday.Theadventofelectricitybroughtincandescentlightswheretypicallyametalfilamentissealedinsideaglasstubeandelectricityisusedtoheatupthemetaluntilitglows.Thesearethetraditionallightbulbsthathavebeeninuseformanyyearsbutarenowbeingphasedoutinfavourofmoreenergy-efficientlights.Halogenlampsfollowthesameprinciplebuttheyalsocontainagasinsidethetubethatmakesthelightmuchbrighterandthelampmoreefficient.Electricaldischargelampsproducelightbysendinganelectriccurrentthroughagas.Thebasicdesignisalsoagassealedinsideatubebuttherearemanydifferentvariations.Somelampskeepthegasatlowpressuresandthemostcommonexampleofthistypearefluorescentlamps.High-pressuredischargelampsproducebrighterlightandareusedtoilluminatelargebuildings,inTVorfilmmakingandforstreetlighting.Solidstatelightingisanewtechnologythatcouldbethemainartificiallightsourceinfuture.Light-emittingdiodes(LED)arewellknownandalreadyinusebutnewtypesoflamparebeingdeveloped.Radiationlevelsdecreasewithdistancetothelamp,sotoensurethelampssafetyfortheeyesandskintheyaretestedintheworstcasescenarioofthelampbeingatadistanceofonly20cm.BasedonthesestandardteststhelampswereclassifiedintofourRiskGroups:“exemptfromrisk”(RG0),“lowrisk”(RG1),“mediumrisk”(RG2),and“highrisk”(RG3)whichincludesonlylampswhereashort-termexposureposesathreat.Themajorityoflampsareclassifiedas“exemptfromrisk”andmostoftherareexceptionsareclassifiedas“lowrisk”.Lamptypesclassifiedas“mediumrisk”andhigherareusuallymeanttobeusedbyprofessionalsinlocationswheretheydonotposearisk.ImproperuseoflampsbelongingtoRiskGroups1to3couldcausedamagetotheeyesortotheskinwhichwouldbeavoidablewithappropriatemeasures.Forinstance,themetalhalidelampsthatareusedinlightingsportsarenascanposeariskifusedata20cmdistance,buttheirnormalusedoesn’tposeanyrisk.More...   More info in Level 2--> Level1QuestionsTopLevel1:SummaryLevel2: DetailsLevel3:Source AboutLinksNextQuestion3.Howdoeslightaffectlivingorganisms? Electromagneticspectrum Thesunandlampsemitvisiblelightandinvisibleradiations,suchasultraviolet(UV)andinfrared(IR).Thewavelengthofvisiblelightdeterminesitscolour,fromviolet(shorterwavelength)throughtored(longerwavelength).UVandIRcanbesubdividedaccordingtotheirwavelengthintonarrowerbands(UVA/UVB/UVCforultraviolet,withUVAbeingtheclosesttovisiblelight,andIRA/IRB/IRCforinfrared,withIRAbeingtheclosesttovisiblelight.).Thesunemitsradiationoverthefullrangeofwavelengths,buttheearth’satmosphereblocksalotofUVandinfraredradiations.Theeffectoflightoncellsdependsontheradiationanditswavelength,thetypeofcell,thechromophore,andthechemicalreactioninvolved.Whenlightilluminatesmatteritcanheatitup,andthisisthemaineffectofIR.VisibleandUVlightcanalsostartchemicalreactionsiftheyreachappropriateabsorbingmoleculescalledchromophores,andtheseareveryabundantinskinandeyecells.VisibleandIRAradiationspenetratedeepestintotheskinandeyeandcanreachasfarastheretina.UVC,IRBandIRCpenetratetheleast.Thebodyhasalotofprotectivemeasuresagainstlightsthataretoobrightortoohot :blinking,pain,naturalaversionfrombrightlightsandpupilconstriction,butdamagecanstilloccurasaresultofoverexposure..Radiationcancauseburnsbutthisisrarewithdomesticlamps.VisiblelightandUVcanalsostartchemicalreactions,usuallybyhelpingcreateoxidantcompoundsthatcanthenattackcells.Antioxidants,pigmentsandotherchemicalsintheskinandtheeyecandestroyexcessivelevelsofthesesothechemicalreactionsaresloweddownandtheamountsofproductsformedwillbeharmless.However,higherdosesofradiationcanleadtotheformationoftoxiclevelsofthesereactivechemicals,whichwillcausediseases.More...   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DetailsLevel3:Source AboutLinksNextQuestion4.Whateffectsonhealthhavebeenobserved?ExposuretolightatnightcandisruptthecircadianrhythmVisibleandIRradiationsfromartificiallightsareunlikelytohaveanyeffectsonhealth,unlesstheyareextremelyintenseandusedatcloserange.OverexposuretoUVcausesburnsintheshorttermand,overlongperiodsoftime,contributestotheriskofdevelopingskincancer(melanoma)aswellassquamouscellcarcinoma(SCC)andbasalcellcarcinoma,(BCC).AccordingtoaworstcasescenariothehighestmeasuredUVemissionsfromlampsusedinofficesandschools,butnottheverylowemissionslampsusedforhouseholdlighting,couldaddtothenumberofSCCsintheEUpopulation.Thereisnoevidencethatshort-termexposuretolampsusednormallyinofficesorathomewouldcauseanydamagetotheeye.Thebluecomponentofvisiblelightcanharmtheretinabutthisisonlycausedbyaccidentalexposuretosunlightortoveryhighintensityartificiallightssoisrare.Thereisnoconsistentevidencethatlong-termexposuretobluelightatlowerintensitycausesanydamagetotheretina.Long-termexposuretoUVfromsunlightmaydamagethecorneaandcausecataractsbutusingartificiallightnormallyisveryunlikelytohaveanysimilareffects.Exposuretolightatnightwhileawake,suchasinshiftwork,maybeassociatedwithanincreasedriskofbreastcancerandalsocausesleep,gastrointestinal,moodandcardiovasculardisorders.However,theseeffectsareduedisruptionofthenaturalcircadianrhythm,regardlessofthetypeofillumination.More...   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DetailsLevel3:Source AboutLinksNextQuestion5.Whataretheeffectsonpeoplewhohaveconditionsthatmakethemsensitivetolight?LEDsdonotemitUVMostpeoplewithskinconditionsthatmakethemsensitivetolightfindthatsunlightbringsonsymptomsbutsomeofthemostsensitivepatientsalsoreacttoartificiallight.TheblueorUVcomponentoflightareparticularlyeffectiveataggravatingtheskinlesionsofchronicactinicdermatitisandsolarurticaria,andinthecaseoflupuserythematosustheymakeworseboththeskinreactionsandthediseaseitself.Itisestimatedthat1in3000peopleinEuropeisaffectedbysuchconditions.ThesepatientsshouldavoidlightsourceswithUVemissions.Forinstance,iftheyuseCFLsitwouldbebetteriftheyusedthosewithadoubleenvelope.AnevenbetteroptionforsomepeoplemightbeLEDs,becausetheydonotemitUV.Theeffectoflightonpatientswitheyeconditionsthataresensitivetolight,varieswidelyfromonepersontoanother,dependingontheirgeneticmakeup.Allpatientswithretinaldystrophyshouldwearspecialprotectiveglassesthatfilterharmfulwavelengths.ModernCFLsareessentiallyflicker-freebuttherecouldbesomeresidualflickerand,eveniftheflickerisnotnoticeable,itmaystillbeperceivedbythebrain.ThereisnoscientificevidencetoevaluatewhetherthelightsconsideredherehaveanyeffectonconditionssuchasIrlen-Mearessyndrome,myalgicencephalomyelitis,fibromyalgia,dyspraxia,autismandHIV.Image :LEDsdonotemitUV.More...   More info in Level 2--> Level1QuestionsTopLevel1:SummaryLevel2: DetailsLevel3:Source AboutLinksNextQuestion6.Howandwherearepeopleexposedtoartificiallight?ExposuretoUVfromartificiallightisequivalenttooneweekvacationinasunnydestinationShort-termUVeffectsfromartificiallightingonhealthypeoplearethoughttobenegligible.Itisnotpossibletoassesslong-termrisksbecausetherearenoexposuredatabutonecanmakeestimatesconsideringaworst-casescenario.ThisassumestypicalexposuresatworkandinschooltoCFLswiththehighestlevelofUVradiation,althoughinpractice,exposuretofluorescentlampswillbelowerthanthis.TheannualdoseofUVontheskinfromtheworstcasescenarioisequivalenttothatfromaone-weekholidayinasunnydestination.More...   More info in Level 2--> Level1QuestionsTopLevel1:SummaryLevel2: DetailsLevel3:Source AboutLinks 7.Aretherepotentialhealthriskslinkedtoartificiallights?Theeffectsofshort-termexposuretoUVfromartificiallightarenegligible.LongtermexposuretolowlevelsofUVradiationaddaverysmallpercentagetothelifetimeriskofdevelopingsquamouscellcarcinoma(SCC)butcouldleadtoanincreaseinthenumberofSCCsinthepopulation.Somepeoplehaveconditionsthatmakethemexceptionallysensitivetolight.Sunlightseemstobethemaintriggerofdiseasebutartificiallightalsoplaysaroleinsomecases.Manufacturersshouldgivedetailedinformationonthelightemittedbyeachmodeloflamp,sothatpatientsandtheirdoctorscanchoosethelampthatsuitsthembest.Patientswithretinaldystrophyshouldwearspecialprotectiveeyewearthatfiltersshortandintermediatewavelengths.MoredataareneededonexposuretoUV/UVCandbluelightfromindoorlights,andontheeffectoftheseonskinandeyediseases.Thereshouldalsoberesearchonthepotentialhealtheffectsofflickerandofill-timedexposuretoartificiallight.More...   More info in Level 2-->Partnerforthispublication 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