The medical experts who refuse to use low-energy lightbulbs in their homes: So should YOU be worried?

How would you view a man who's stockpiled a lifetime supply of old-fashioned lightbulbs because he believes low-energy bulbs could lead to blindness?

You might well dismiss him as dotty. But the man in question, John Marshall, is no crank. In fact, he's one of Britain's most eminent eye experts, the professor of ophthalmology at the University College London Institute of Ophthalmology. So concerned is he that he has boxes stacked with old-fashioned incandescent lightbulbs at home.

Nor is he alone in his concerns about modern lightbulbs. Another eminent British professor, John Hawk, an expert in skin disease, is warning they may cause sunburn-like damage, premature aging and even skin cancer. He doesn't have any low-energy bulbs in his house, explaining: 'I have lots of old-style bulbs I bought in bulk when they were available.'

The concern is about some of the light rays emitted in high levels by these bulbs, says Professor Marshall. Recent scientific evidence shows these specific rays are particularly damaging to human eyes and skin. In the same way ultraviolet rays in sunlight can cause premature aging in our skin if we get sunburnt, there is a similar situation in the eye, says Professor Marshall. Sustained exposure to ultraviolet light wavelengths from CFLs increases the risk of two seriously debilitating eye conditions, macular degeneration and cataracts, the professor claims. 'You shed skin every five days, but your retina is with you for life.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2626564/The-medical-experts-refuse-use-low-energy-lightbulbs-homes-Professors-stocked-old-style-bulbs-protect-against-skin-cancer-blindness-So-YOU-worried.html

Oh fantastic! Too late now, no old style bulbs about.

We also do not have an old style bulb in the house.


My eye sight is deteriorating, who can I sue   

This isn't really new - it's been said for some time really. You can still get old-style light bulbs in some places.

Raggamuffin wrote:This isn't really new - it's been said for some time really. You can still get old-style light bulbs in some places.

You can't over here - they're illegal. Thought that was the case in all EU countries.

Tesstacious wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:This isn't really new - it's been said for some time really. You can still get old-style light bulbs in some places.

You can't over here - they're illegal.  Thought that was the case in all EU countries.

I'm pretty sure most of the bulbs in my house are the older ones.

Well, they're all low wattage, 45 where-a-bouts but none of them are those stupid ones that look like someone painted over the glass or where they twirl around in circles and various other stupid shit.

They look like and are as bright as the older ones.

Samhraí wrote:

Tesstacious wrote:
You can't over here - they're illegal.  Thought that was the case in all EU countries.

I'm pretty sure most of the bulbs in my house are the older ones.

They were banned in 2011:

Light Goes Out In EU For Old-Style Bulbs
http://onecouk.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/light-goes-out-in-eu-for-old-style-bulbs/

Tesstacious wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:This isn't really new - it's been said for some time really. You can still get old-style light bulbs in some places.

You can't over here - they're illegal.  Thought that was the case in all EU countries.

Well you can still get them quite legally though. Not sure how long for, but if these new ones turn out to be dangerous, there will have to be a rethink.

old style in our house , off to buy lots in bulk now lol

Tesstacious wrote:

Samhraí wrote:

I'm pretty sure most of the bulbs in my house are the older ones.

They were banned in 2011:

Light Goes Out In EU For Old-Style Bulbs
http://onecouk.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/light-goes-out-in-eu-for-old-style-bulbs/

Is that right?
Can't say I've noticed the difference.

Vicar of Dibley wrote:old style in our house , off to buy lots in bulk now lol

You are? If you find any I'll be very surprised, as Tess said, they are illegal   

I find the new style onaes hurt my eyes a bit, not a nice light at all.

Sassy wrote:

Vicar of Dibley wrote:old style in our house , off to buy lots in bulk now lol

You are?   If you find any I'll be very surprised, as Tess said, they are illegal   

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2193792/Old-fashioned-lightbulbs-banned-EU-directive-sold-traders-loophole-allowing-renamed.html

Interesting read....thanks.

We still have old style here....I have a mixture in the house. Haven't had any side effects. I do hate and suffer from flourescent lights especially at work. I always get a headache and the humming noise drives me insane.

The flourescent ones are bad for you too, give out loads of the blue spectrum, and the flickering is probably the cause.

Tommy Monk wrote:The flourescent ones are bad for you too, give out loads of the blue spectrum, and the flickering is probably the cause.

I agree Matti.....I only have them in the garage so not much of a problem as I am not in there much....still want Mr. C to swap them out for new fixtures. In my last house in the UK I practically cooked in the dark as the MOD had them in the kitchen.

There are a number of negative health effects that have been linked to working under fluorescent lights that are theorized to be caused by this body chemistry mechanism such as:
Migraines
Eye strain
Problems sleeping, due to melatonin suppression
Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder or depression
Endocrine disruption and poor immune systems
Female hormonal/menstrual cycle disruption
Increases in breast cancer rates and tumor formation
Stress/Anxiety, due to cortisol suppression
Sexual development/maturation disruption
Obesity
Agoraphobia (anxiety disorder)
The other main cause of problems with fluorescent lights is that they flicker. Fluorescent light bulbs contain a gas that gets excited and glows when electricity is passed through this. The electricity is not constant. It is controlled by an electric ballast that pulses on and off really fast. To most people it is so fast that it looks like it is on constantly. However, some people can perceive the flicker even if they can't consciously see it. This can cause:
Migraines
Headaches
Eye strain
Stress/Anxiety

Well they're just too dark aren't they?

You can still buy 100w bulbs here in the UK. Poundstretcher and Poundland sell them in their stores in Musselburgh and if I'm down there I always pop in and buy a few boxes. I would think it's the same all over with their stores. Just take a Harvey Nichols bag with you to put then in when you get outside Both stores are right next door to Musselburgh police station as well and I've seen the cops go in there loads of times.

You can get them on Amazon as well.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/100w-LIGHT-PEARL-BAYONET-FITTING/dp/B0038MYLJ8/ref=sr_1_1/280-4649862-6493432?ie=UTF8&qid=1400005484&sr=8-1&keywords=lightbulbs+100w

It is supposed to be illegal though. Says so here...

http://ec.europa.eu/energy/lumen/editorial/index_en.htm

Well I'm sure I read or heard somewhere, in any case I don't recycle them, but you can't recycle the new bulbs because of some powder or something in them???
The glass people don't want them!

I think they contain mercury and other heavy metals.

Tommy Monk wrote:I think they contain mercury and other heavy metals.

That's it Matt. That's what I heard, and let's be honest, surely they can't be good for you?

Irn Bru wrote:You can still buy 100w bulbs here in the UK. Poundstretcher and Poundland sell them in their stores in Musselburgh and if I'm down there I always pop in and buy a few boxes. I would think it's the same all over with their stores. Just take a Harvey Nichols bag with you to put then in when you get outside :lol:Both stores are right next door to Musselburgh police station as well and I've seen the cops go in there loads of times.

You can get them on Amazon as well.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/100w-LIGHT-PEARL-BAYONET-FITTING/dp/B0038MYLJ8/ref=sr_1_1/280-4649862-6493432?ie=UTF8&qid=1400005484&sr=8-1&keywords=lightbulbs+100w

It is supposed to be illegal though. Says so here...

http://ec.europa.eu/energy/lumen/editorial/index_en.htm

Right, I looking out for them!

Sassy wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:You can still buy 100w bulbs here in the UK. Poundstretcher and Poundland sell them in their stores in Musselburgh and if I'm down there I always pop in and buy a few boxes. I would think it's the same all over with their stores. Just take a Harvey Nichols bag with you to put then in when you get outside :lol:Both stores are right next door to Musselburgh police station as well and I've seen the cops go in there loads of times.

You can get them on Amazon as well.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/100w-LIGHT-PEARL-BAYONET-FITTING/dp/B0038MYLJ8/ref=sr_1_1/280-4649862-6493432?ie=UTF8&qid=1400005484&sr=8-1&keywords=lightbulbs+100w

It is supposed to be illegal though. Says so here...

http://ec.europa.eu/energy/lumen/editorial/index_en.htm

Right, I looking out for them!

Illegal??? No one saw me on this thread.......

  

Basically, if it says on the packaging that they're for industrial use, they can be sold - I think.

  THE only "good" thing about those energy-saver fluoro' bulbs is that they are only a temporary 'stop-gap' measure...

LCD/LED bulbs (already available in the shops, but currently too expensive though dropping in price every day..) are predicted to be the industry standard within the next decade..

Those old-style luminescent bulbs are sometimes available in some shops down here, too - usually imported from somewhere like India or China.