Light for Sight expert advises on new bulbs

Newly available super-energy efficient semiconductor light-emitting diode (LED) light bulbs can cause problems for people with low vision according to a lighting expert.

Encouraging practitioners to keep abreast of lighting developments, Anthony Slater, lighting development manager of the Thomas Pocklington Trust, said: 'Some of the LEDs are quite bluish, that may or may not work with different people.'

However, Slater added that LED technology was progressing very rapidly and predicted that before long problems caused by current energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs could be overcome. These problems include incompatibility with dimmer switches and the time taken for the light to reach full brightness.