Millions of people worldwide have been using LED Grow lights to cultivate plants and ensure their optimum growth. These lights have various benefits for indoor plants.
However, some individuals are concerned about their effect on the human body. Some people fear that LED Grow lights can negatively affect their eyes and skin.
Is it true that LED Grow Lights have an impact on our health?
Like Sun, LED Grow lights produce Ultraviolet A and Ultraviolet B rays to help plants grow. These rays might be harmful to human eyes and skin, but only when you get exposed to them for an extended period and at a high intensity. Do not worry, LED grow lights are not exceptionally intense. They emit a certain amount of UV and Blue rays appropriate for plant growth. If you do not stare at LED Grow lights for a lengthy period, you are safe.
This post will discuss all the possible impacts of LED Grow lights on humans. So if you are worried about the same, read this in-depth article.
Effect of LED Grow Lights on Eyes
First, let us determine why this issue has arisen. Why do people worry about the health risk of LED grow lights?
Some studies discuss the consequences of Blue light, UV light, and visible light spectrum on human eyes. Nonetheless, these studies are not specially about LED Grow lights. Any light that produces intense rays could damage the eyes and skin.
LED Grow lights imitate the Sun and provide a full light spectrum. They help plants grow proportionally. Unfortunately, some colors in the wavelength could be harmful to the eyes.
Primarily, people have a concern about Blue light.
Blue light is a short wavelength in the visible light spectrum. The wavelength of the light spectrum ranges from 380 nanometers to 700 nanometers.
As Blue light has a very short wavelength, it has an intense energy level that other colors. The light is slightly less potent than UV rays. If produced in large amounts, it can increase the risk of eye disease.
People who work face blue light continuously for an extended period may experience visual problems. Additionally, they might feel dry and irritated eyes.
A report from France Health authority concludes that excessive blue light might impact the retina of the eyes. As per other research, it may have a psychological effect on the human body. Blue light can badly influence sleep, mood, and circadian rhythms.
When people are exposed to blue light during the day, they feel awake and alert, which is perfectly alright. Nevertheless, this exposure at night can restrain the discharge of melatonin. It is a hormone that affects your circadian rhythms and makes you feel sluggish, weary, and sleepless.
Besides this, extensive blue light can harm the sensitive cells of the retina. The human eye is not capable of blocking the blue light. Therefore, it penetrates our retina and negatively impacts our vision.
In extreme cases, it might cause permanent vision loss, but it would need a lot of blue light exposure.
Now the question arises how much Blue light does an LED Grow light produce? Do we need to worry about it?
Do LED Grow Lights Produce Significant Blue Light?
There is no doubt that most LED grow lights will provide you with a full light spectrum. They produce adequate energy to assure a higher harvest yield. Do not forget that plants require a complete light spectrum at various stages of development.
You may also learn the roles of different colors in the light spectrum.
Blue light supports plants in their early growth stage. It has a spectrum range between 450-and 460 nm. The blue light ensures that your plants will grow healthier.
We can say, LED grow lights produce a considerable amount of Blue light, but people do not stare at them directly for prolonged periods. Consequently, you can easily avoid the nasty impact of Blue light on your eyes.
Several people also keep asking if blue light from LED strips can damage their eyes. The same scenario applies to them as well. For detailed information, you may read our post:《Is Led Strip Light Harmful to the Eyes?》
Effect of LED Grow Lights on Skin
Some individuals are concerned that LED Grow lights would harm their skin. This stress comes from the fact that LED Grow lamps produce UV lights. Let us learn more about this.
You must understand that excessive exposure to any light can be harmful. The harmful rays from the Sun can lead to several health consequences. Overexposure to UV radiation from the sun can promote premature aging. It can also burn your skin and reduce its suppleness.
UV or Ultraviolet radiation is electromagnetic radiation that you can divide into three groups: UVA rays, UVB rays, and UVC rays. These rays are classified as per the intensity of their energy.
Humans are extremely vulnerable to UVC rays. Fortunately, the ozone layer prevents it from passing through.
According to research, UV radiation can cause various skin diseases. Intensive chronic exposure can lead to skin cancer. Melanoma is a serious skin cancer associated with Sun exposure.
Do LED Grow Lights Produce UV Radiation?
LED Grow lights do not release UVC rays; however, they do emit UVA and UVB rays to a certain degree. The function of light is to provide plants with a sun-like environment.
In the non-visible light spectrum, UV rays range from 10 to 400 nm. While UV rays do not help plants with the Photosynthesis process, they have some benefits.
In a safe amount, UV radiation can help indoor plants in various ways. For example, Cannabis plants produce a good amount of Terpenes when exposed to an acceptable amount of UV light. Even regular indoor plants also get a great aroma and taste with UV rays.
People looking to cultivate cannabis with LED grow cannabis must read this post.
Of course, UV light has the potential to cause skin problems. However, in a real-life scenario, it is not likely to happen. First, LED Grow lights are not as intense as the sun. Second, you will not stay under the grow light and will not touch them for a prolonged time.
Even in the sun if you are exposed to UV radiation for a limited period, you do not get skin problems. Skin cancer is a rare case.
We can confidently state that you do not need to be concerned about any skin issues. Most Grow light suppliers do not include UVC radiation in their lights which is a primary concern. As a result, do not panic.
Several folks are also concerned about the heat and burns from LED Grow lights. They indeed produce some heat. However, they are not as hot as a traditional plant growing lights.
Unlike HPS lights, there is negligible risk of burn and fire from LED grow lights. We have a detailed post on HPS vs. LED that you can read to learn the differences between the two.
There is a misconception about LED grow lights that they contain mercury. It is not true. They do not have any chemical gas and mercury as we find in CFLs and HPS Light.
LED grow lights have diodes that emit light directly without any heavy metal.
Safety Measures for LED Grow Lights
- LED Grow lights do not pose any threat to eyes and skin until you get exposed to them for a long time. Still, we have put together some preventative measures to be on the safe side.
- Your plants may require varying levels of light at different phases of development. You will have to change their positions. Remember, there must be at least 3-feet distance between the UV-emitting light fixture and you.
- Do not stare at your LED Grow lights continuously for a long time.
- If you work under the LED grow lights for a prolonged period, it’s advisable to wear a protective dress. Any fully-body clothes will work. You do not need to buy particular clothes.
- Invest in horticultural eyewear. It will protect your eyes from Blue light and UV radiation when working beneath the LED grow light. Do not worry, they are easy on the pocket and show you the natural color of your plants. Regular eyewear can change the color of your crops.
- Buy lights from an experienced and reputable LED grow light manufacturer. Make sure they meet all safety guidelines.
- Ensure your LED Grow light supplier provides plant-growing lights that ensure photobiological safety.
- People who underwent cataract surgery should not work under LED grow light with bare eyes.
- Do not spend time under LED grow lights for no reason.
Final Words
All-in-all we can say that LED Grow lights are safe if you are using them correctly. They have some potential risks to eyes and skin, but only in hypothetical conditions. Still, we recommend you take preventive measures. We hope this post gives in-depth information on the topic.
Happy gardening!
