UKH

I suffer migraines and light sensitivity. A migraine can be triggered by glare / bright light especially if flickering.

On the web there are many articles linking certain types of light to this condition, including one mentioning photosensitive retinal ganglions in the eye (headache.org). Seems you can buy special sunglasses to cut down on certain wavelengths...

Being aware of the flood of pseudo-science as well as legit science, can any of the UKC boffin collective advise. Bollox or valid?

no pseudo science here but a lifetime's experience of suffering discomfort under fluorescent tubes and later on CFLs.  LEDs have really made a difference to me but it is important not to have too much of the harsh cool white light.

I've always been longsighted and a couple of opticians have said over the years that flickering lights cause long sighted people more problems.

My main experience with migraine has been flowing disturbance of the peripheral visual field.

ps I'm one of those people who sneeze if looking into the sun or a bright enough light

the cells are not bollox, and respond best ish to blueish light, so get some red tint sunglasses and you are away.  Much of the talk of blue light devices (phones, laptops etc) at bedtime being bad for sleep are targetting this mechanism 

Do you use something like Flux (https://justgetflux.com/) on your 'puter to dial down the blue at night.. i find it pretty useful

i don't know if there is any correlation to migraines (the only person I know who works in that area is working on Keto diets as a migraine treatment/prevention)

Wikipedia article outlines some of the history

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrinsically_photosensitive_retinal_ganglion...

Specialist opticians can test for the specific colour prescription lenses. I know someone who after decades struggling with sunglasses has had a pair which have made a massive improvement in all lighting scenarios, not just the bad ones.

Still use Halogen ( filament) bulbs  at home to avoid flickering light sources.

Chris

Some LED lamps flicker at 100Hz which I find quite annoying. Worse are the red LED clusters on the back of some cars that aren’t even 100Hz (The VW group build the most annoying ones). Some people say they don’t see it at all.

I heard something on Radio 2 about light sensitivity the other day - an interview with the author of this book:

 https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Anna-Levin/Incandescent--We-Need-to-Talk-Abo...

Might be worth a read.

ironically we are having LED street (downlighting) installed in the village.   This necessitated the cutting down of a tree yesterday in which many small songbirds have been living and seeking refuge from crows etc, in the middle of the winter season.  Very environmental!

I hope they find a safe refuge

Know your audience...change the damned cover! Enough to give me a migraine!