Evaluation of blue-light hazards from various light sources

Abstract

Visible light of short wavelength (blue light) may cause a photochemical injury to the retina, called photoretinitis or blue-light hazard. In this study, various light sources were evaluated for blue-light hazard. These sources include the sun, the arc associated with arc welding and plasma cutting, molten steel, iron and glass, the interior of furnaces, the arc or envelope of discharge lamps, the filament or envelope of incandescent lamps, the envelope of fluorescent lamps and light-emitting diodes. The spectral radiance of each light source was measured, and blue-light effective radiance and the corresponding permissible exposure time per day were calculated in accordance with the ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists) standard. The sun, arc welding, plasma cutting and the arc of discharge lamps were found to have extremely high effective radiances with corresponding permissible exposure times of only 0.6-40 s, suggesting that viewing these light sources is very hazardous to the retina. Other light sources were found to have low effective radiances under the study conditions and would pose no hazard, at least for short exposure times.