Fluorescent Light Alergy

Hi, can I have the link to your blog please? I'd like to look into the GlobalTV reports.

Hi everyone. Like most who have posted here, I cannot tolerate flourescent lighting for more than an hour or two. I don't get a visible rash, I feel like my nervous system is being placed under continual strain. The first thing I notice is often twitching in the eyelids and a feeling of strain (almost slight pain) through my nerves. After a long enough period, I can become disoriented and anxious, I think because fight or flight kicks in--I want out! I think it mostly has to do with the actual light because I feel better if I close my eyes even for a minute or two. I also find that if I can introduce other full spectrum light and dim the flourescent, it helps, though doesn't fully solve the problem. I have virtually no flourescent light in my house and fortunately have natural light at work, though I have to use a halogen lamp in winter if it is too dark. I am a researcher, and I cannot believe how little research has been done on this given there is clearly an issue for a significant proportion of people and flourescent lighting is everywhere.

I am so glad I found this discussion. I thought I was going crazy! I get so hot and red in the face while at work under florescent lighting. Apart from staying out of it, (because that isn't possible) is there anything I can do to ease the symptoms?

This morning, for the nth time, I had to exit a building quickly because my body was going into spasm due to the fluorescent lighting. I feel my vision going odd, and then the shakes start. From experience, I know I have 2 minutes to get out of the building and into natural lighting or I will slip into total incapacitation, with mega shakes, disorientation, and inability to function. When I was working last year in a government office, I could only work while wearing sunglasses, a head covering and hat, with a canopy over my desk and an antiglare screen over my computer, to protect my eyes from the effects of the fluorescent lighting. My boss refused to dim the lights for those of us vulnerable to the lighting--I wasn't the only one! I read online that over 25% of the population is affected negatively by fluorescent lighting, while the country continues to get rid of incandescent lighting as quickly as it can and make all buildings everywhere use only fluorescent lighting, which contains hazardous products and must be specially disposed of. I need to find employment, and I fear ending up again in a building with lighting that incapacitates me. I don't want to live in a world that doesn't care about my wellbeing.

For those in this thread who get red/itching or even hives or blisters in light:



You could have either PMLE (Polymorphic Light Eruption) or Solar Urticaria, both of which -- while typically a reaction to sunlight, can also occur as a response to indoor lighting, particularly fluorescent or halogen bulbs. I suffer from solar urticaria; I began to develop it at least 2 years before I ever experienced hives or anaphylaxis. Unprotected/undiffused fluorescent lighting in stores causes me to experience a pain like being splashed with acid or hot grease; depending on length of exposure I'll become red/itchy, and eventually I'll get hives.



PMLE isn't exactly an allergic disorder, although I seem to recall histamine being involved. Solar urticaria is. I think both conditions typically involve a histamine reaction to the UV light spectrum, although they can also involve visible light spectrum responses. Fluorescent lights output a small amount of UV spectrum light. Incandescent lights output much less, and studies on LED lights didn't detect any.



If you don't have a problem with sunlight, you may be experiencing a response to a different wavelength than me, you could have a less severe form of PMLE or Solar Urticaria, or you might be able to adapt to different wavelengths over prolonged exposure. You may also be experiencing a different disorder.



In my house I usually stick with LED, although I've never had trouble with diffused incandescent. Compact fluorescent bulbs tend to go badly for me though. Last November, during a fire drill at my college, I ended up in sunlight unexpectedly and went into anaphylaxis. A previous experience, before discovering the cause, began with recurring hives that became so sever they wouldn't go away over night, and eventually lead to depressed ability to breathe.



For me, I wear several layers of clothes head to toe at all times; I take several anti-histamines. If I have to go outside in sunlight, to which I have the most sever response, I carry an epi-pen, and ensure my head it covered by a couple layers. In stores or buildings which feature a lot of fluorescent lighting, or undiffused fluorescent lighting, I keep my head covered. Depending on the lighting, sometimes a recently taken all day anti-histamine like Zyrtec and wearing a hoodie with the hood up is sufficient. Some stores, the lighting is so intense that I'll still become extremely itchy, or my skin will start to turn red or hive.



For those experiencing headaches, you may be having a response to the flickering that fluorescent lights have; although not typically visible, by their nature fluorescent lights flicker constantly. Even though you cannot perceive the flicker, it may be causing your headache. The anxiety and twitching some of you are experiencing may also be connected to this.



Alternatively, you may be experiencing another disorder; you might consider talking to a doctor or ophthalmologist. An additional advantage of this is, if you live in the United States or a country with good disability laws, you may be able to get a doctor's note describing the issue and recommended accommodations. You may then have better leverage to receive help at work or in school. This help, depending on the work place and their policies, might include requesting being allowed to work in a different area of the building, being allowed to alter the area around your personal, specific workspace than might be typical, or possibly requesting that, when the bulbs in that office are changes, they are changed to a less problematic light source. There are no guarantees however, and such accommodations are likely to absolutely require the willingness of a doctor to give you assistance.



If you have an ocular sensitivity to light in general, you might consider, as an alternative to constantly wearing sunglasses, getting prosthetic contact lenses that partially block light. This will not help, I think, if your main problem is the flickering of fluorescent bulbs. If you experience a condition that features ocular sensitivity to UV, it's worth noting that such contact lenses do not /completely/ block all UV, and that sunglasses or contacts with sunglasses may be a better solution.



For those experiencing itching, you may also be having some variant of actinic purigio, which, although again typically a sun response, involves light wavelengths.



If you suspect a sun or light related response, ***edited by moderator*** web addresses not allowed may be useful to you. It may also help you to understand some of the medical terms for your symptoms.

Im soo glad Im not the only one out there that feels like a tomato. About  2 years ago the company I work for  changed out all of the lamps in the warehouse and I started getting those same symptoms. At work I feel like Im blushing severly and I get totally red from head to toe. I went to the Dermatolagist they took a skin sample and found nothing. At home my skin is fine . Maybe we will never know. Maybe Dr. Oz will have an answer. Good luck.    Kim

Look up irlen syndrome. This treatment could help.

I'm so glad to see your response. What you said is exactly my experience everyday at work. It is horrible!!! Have you spoken to a doctor about this? If so, what was the response. How are you dealing with this now?

I'm so glad to see your response. What you said is exactly my experience everyday at work. It is horrible!!! Have you spoken to a doctor about this? If so, what was the response. How are you dealing with this now?

this is all so good to read - I recently retired but in the last year or so have had many dizzy sensations, weakness in legs and flushing of the face - all of which I now attribute to fluorescent lighting in the school building I worked in - now when I go into our local grocery store similar dizzy feelings come back again, which I am sure are due to the cheap fluorescent lighting -- wish I had realized this long ago!!

many people are alergic to halogens. they are elements in the perodic table. clorine, iodide, floride, ect. Florescent lights are giving more light for a given amount of energy used. Its not the light its the gas escaping. new technology means brighter lights that have to be changed more often, giving jobs to more people, saving energy, causing more people to get sick ect.

Hi, if the lamp is new, it is probably a Compact fluorescent bulb, which are causing many problems for many people, myself included.

Generally it is the new energy saving compact fluorescent bulbs, that are causing huge problems, for many people.
Although fluorescence can in itself cause difficulty, the bulbs give off high levels of radiation and dirty electricity.
Please look at the facebook group, Spectrum alliance cause, and you will see you are not alone.

I have a great sensitivity to fluorescent light. I wonder if others feel this but rarely it seems that people do. I get very fatigued, eyes will eventually get blurry, and I feel overall weak plus it's annoying. I feel as if I need to wear sunglasses indoors. I have had this for years. When going to a Doctors appointment or any other place where people work all day in this type of lighting I think how do they do it. I despise overhead lights too and must have soft lamp light. I heard that people who are fair have more light sensitivity. I'm a redhead but who knows.

I have had this reaction for several years. I get splotchy, dizzy and nauseous. It is light crymtonite to me. I get all red and have passed out under what I used to think were just hot lights. I cannot even deal with the nail shop lights. Some allergy. I just found a light bulb after years of searching that looks like a regular light bulb, but has a foil looking color on the bottom. It redirects the light up and is not hot and doesnt make me red and miserable...whatever the allergy, if you stay away from it you may save yourself alot of problems. I didnt know what it was and the allergy became worse. I began to have seizures. Some kind of neurological symtoms. Keep your kids away if you notice anything. Trust me! I have been through this for over 6 years. Nightmare. Now, I know what it is, cannot explain it - but know what to do. First comes rash, then comes sensitive eyes and headaches, then seizures. Now, I am good but always scan a room at a restaurant to make sure I will be ok. What scientist invent is not always a good thing!