Report & Analysis by Daniel Stern, DVN Chief Editor
Solid-state lighting—LEDs, mostly, but also laser diodes—are quickly shoving all other kinds of illumination light sources to the margins of the market, in every area: domestic lighting, architectural lighting, street lighting, task lighting, and vehicle lighting. ANSES, the French national agency for food, enviornmental, and occupational health and safety, have published a revised, updated version of their guidance on the health effects of LEDs, based on scientific knowledge that wasn’t yet available in 2010 when the report was first put out. The new report confirms that blue light—which many white solid-state light sources produce in abundance—is deleterious to the human retina and disturbs circadian rhythms and other biological processes. Sleep disruptions and other negative effects are correlated with blue-light exposure, so the health and safety agency recommends limiting the use of LED devices that are the richest in blue light—including phones, tablets, computers, and other suchlike—and reducing light pollution as much as possible.