Lighting - strip lights & headaches

[Pvapour]

Any lighting experts out there?

My wife is suffering photosensitive migraines at work under quite dated strip lights

Is there an upgrade for older tubes that'll likely improve things? or is it going to need a new unit as well?

I'm trying to get some info on the existing units and tubes there at the moment but was hoping to get some info up front if possible

[Brite spark]

Is she working on a computer? There are diffusers designed for this.

[stuart313]

High frequency fluorescent fittings are a lot better in this situation, I think all schools have to be fitted with them nowadays, and as stated do they have a cat 2 louvre?

[Buzz84]

If there dated they probably use older control gear, these can flicker. Newer style electronic ballasts eliminate this flickering effect.

new fittings would be required really, converting old ones is theoretically possible but more hastle and probably more cost than just replacing it

it could also be the screen causing the headaches if she uses them

[Pheo]

Does she need glasses? If so, is she wearing them? If not, have her eyes been checked recently?

My other half suffers from migraines - can be triggered by these (when she used to work in a DIY shed it was particularly bad).

If not, as the others have said, replace the fitting (easier!)

[Blakeatron]

I was having this at work in the workshop - 30 old, mixed tubes and fittings caused a slight strobe that you couldnt see (according to the sparks)

New fittings (with ballast) and daylight bulbs has changed everything - much brighter too, how did we ever see what we were doing before!?

[Brite spark]

Blakeatron said:

I was having this at work in the workshop - 30 old, mixed tubes and fittings caused a slight strobe that you couldnt see (according to the sparks)

Stroboscopic effect -more of an issue in workshops where there is rotating machinery as stuff can be turning yet appear stationary,same as looking at a car wheel as the car is going but the wheel does not look like it is turning.

[jep]

I had the same problem. A standard filament bulb plugged in nearby did the job as it balanced out the flicker from the fluorescent tubes.

[Pvapour]

thanks for all the information guys, she does allot of (mainly) work on screens (filters on order) and seating is sorted, she does wear glasses & they are up to date and worn.

they are in fact diagnosed as photo sensitive Megraines which is why we're concentrating on lighting, sight, screens etc

i'm trying to get the low down on the tubes that are in currently T8, T12 etc but I do know there are none of the filters shown above, I'm thinking it might not be cost effective to replace units if the bulbs can't be changed as they're moving to new offices in 3 months.

if the tubes can't be replaced I was wondering about disabling the ones closest to her and then getting some temporary tri-pod office lighting (if there is such a thing) with the latest filament /LEDs? anyone know of anything like this available? at least they could take these with them to the new premises so no financial loss.

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

It's not the tubes themselves that would need replacing; it's the drivers, essentially the guts of the light fittings. You can use any tube, and it will produce flicker if it's fitted to an old-fashioned fitting, but not if it's fitted to a modern electronic fitting.

[teabelly]

Two things to try: turn down brightness on the monitor. Set white backgrounds in applications to a pale pastel eg lilac or pale green.

There is a condition called Irlen syndrome which is a sensitivity to high contrast situations so reading books outdoors in bright conditions is also problematic.

I've found the pastel background a big help. Excel is particularly troublesome for me. With a white background I have a headache in about 10 minutes then it's a full on migraine in no time. With the pastel background I can tolerate a few hours.

Also having natural daylight from one side helps a lot. It seems to counteract the nastiness of the tube lighting.

[Brite spark]

Pvapour said:

thanks for all the information guys, she does allot of (mainly) work on screens (filters on order) and seating is sorted, she does wear glasses & they are up to date and worn.

they are in fact diagnosed as photo sensitive Megraines which is why we're concentrating on lighting, sight, screens etc

i'm trying to get the low down on the tubes that are in currently T8, T12 etc but I do know there are none of the filters shown above, I'm thinking it might not be cost effective to replace units if the bulbs can't be changed as they're moving to new offices in 3 months.

if the tubes can't be replaced I was wondering about disabling the ones closest to her and then getting some temporary tri-pod office lighting (if there is such a thing) with the latest filament /LEDs? anyone know of anything like this available? at least they could take these with them to the new premises so no financial loss.

Are these on a ceiling grid or solid ceiling? Do you know if they are hard wired or on a "klick rose"
Removing the starter or tube would easily and reversible way to stop the light from being a problem.
Plenty of ways to get temporary alternative lighting such as an led floodlight with pir on a plug top

You can also get replacement led tubes that will not require modification of the current light fitting, depending upon fitting and tube type that are currently installed. Such as
http://www.kosnic.com/products/2775/

Edited by Brite spark on Wednesday 28th January 10:10

[netherfield]

You can see the effects of the flickering with a mobile phone, select camera and look at the tubes, if you can it's low frequency.

[Pvapour]

teabelly said:

Two things to try: turn down brightness on the monitor. Set white backgrounds in applications to a pale pastel eg lilac or pale green.

There is a condition called Irlen syndrome which is a sensitivity to high contrast situations so reading books outdoors in bright conditions is also problematic.

I've found the pastel background a big help. Excel is particularly troublesome for me. With a white background I have a headache in about 10 minutes then it's a full on migraine in no time. With the pastel background I can tolerate a few hours.

Also having natural daylight from one side helps a lot. It seems to counteract the nastiness of the tube lighting.

thanks teaabelly, funnily enough there is a programe for all macs that one of her co-workers is sourcin that changes between pastels subtly throughout the day so we'll see how that works to. I dont think its the light alone causing things.

Brite spark said:

Are these on a ceiling grid or solid ceiling? Do you know if they are hard wired or on a "klick rose"
Removing the starter or tube would easily and reversible way to stop the light from being a problem.
Plenty of ways to get temporary alternative lighting such as an led floodlight with pir on a plug top

You can also get replacement led tubes that will not require modification of the current light fitting, depending upon fitting and tube type that are currently installed. Such as
http://www.kosnic.com/products/2775/

Edited by Brite spark on Wednesday 28th January 10:10

ceiling grid, old suspended with units above perspex panels, theyve disabled two of the units directly above the work ststaion for now, limited time with the new filters and reduced lighting on wedneday but comments were that it was far far less strenuous straight away,

there are some free standing LED units that can be hired if the lighting level is to low, so they're on errrr 'stand by!'

strangely though thur saw a clearing of symptoms and shes been with me the last couple of days without a flourecent in sight and yet the symptoms have returned aand the only trigger i can think of is quite allot of ipad work which doesnt have any form of filter for the screen, so now looking for filters for that to, TV doesnt seem to effect things...