Light sensitivity to fluorescent lights

[ConZinger]

I just started working fulltime in an office two weeks ago and am having increasing problems with my vision and headaches, which I feel is related to the frequency of the fluorescent lighting. Since I've never spent so long under fluorescent lighting, this is a new experience for me. I have spells where my eyes go strange, not fuzzy because I can still focus, but strange because I can't see clearly, like a skewed TV screen in a way. Difficult to describe. After the vision disruption, which in some spells lasts about 20 minutes, I have a headache which can last for hours. When the spell passes, I'm normal again with no vision problems.

I need to know how I can protect myself from this negative lighting environment so I can keep working to pay my keep.

I hear that 25% of the population suffers with sensitivity to fluorescent lighting, which is way too many for any healthy society. I think it's important that we keep incandescent lighting around for those who are made ill by fluorescent lighting.

Blessings,
Zing.


This discussion is related to Light sensitivity to fluorescent lights?.

[bine814]

hiiiiiiiiii can u plzzzzzzz write me and let me kno what u did for ur floresentlight sensitivity?? i am at the end..i dt kno what to do anymore.
***@**** write me

[bine814]

i realy think u full of it and dt kno what u talking about .i been suffering from this for over 1 year too now.u cant even imagine how it affects someones life!! so plz just dt make any comment dr...whoever u are and diagnose other problems that u kno about .like a simple cold or something!!!

[donnaq3sz]

I have many years of light sensitvity and I find the BEST solution is to wear a hat with a small brim.  The light in plaza'a comes from overhead and the brim is fantastic. Without a hat (brim) most of the time I would be in big trouble.People are accustomed to seeing me in restaurants, church almost anywhere now with a nice hat with abrim.  15 yrs and doing fine thank you

[Crossfinn]

I recently discovered I have an issue with fluorescent lights, too. I was moved from an office (where I always kept the overhead lights off out of preference) to a cubicle that is way over-illuminated with overhead fluorescents. By the end of the first day I felt like I was being tortured with light--I had a headache, my eyes hurt, I couldn't focus properly, and I felt very anxious. All I could think of was crawling under my desk!  Myworkplace refuses to simply unscrew the bulbs over my head but has agreed to look into buying full-spectrum bulbs. In case that doesn't work, I have ordered some Blublocker sunglasses to wear at work.

[johannes23]

I sympathise very much with this, and thank you to all the fellow sufferers for posting. I have had the same difficulty with fluorescent strip lighting for years, I get very bad  headaches and sore eyes from this type of lighting, it is very difficult when you are in a workplace which has these evil things.

Natural lighting and tungsten filament lighting are far superior and do not give me these problems.

If many people experience the same problem a good sciertist would try and find out what was going on - not dismiss it out of hand or ignore it because it doesn't fit some theory. In 50 years time medical knowledge will have moved on and see how bad these lights are - I believe they are actually banned in German hospitals and prisons.
http://www.hans.org/magazine/699/The-Dark-Side-of-Compact

[surferchicusa]

I have the same problem, but mine didn't start until after getting the measles for a second time as a teenager.  We had French exchange students who brought over a new strain.  

I had to quit my job at Starbucks because of it.  For years I dealt with it by turning of the fluorescent light over the sink, which was at eye level, and all my managers and fellow associates were fine with it.  Then one day, we had a new assistant manager (they're in training, and stay only for a few months before getting their own store) and this chick was INSISTENT that I keep the light ON, and wouldn't compromise, even though I told her that I get migraines from the light staring me in the face.  

I came in the next day with sunglasses, and she told me that I wasn't allowed to wear them unless they were prescription sunglasses.  Then I tried to get a coworker to switch responsibilities with me, and the assistant manager wouldn't go along with THAT either.  

No matter how I tried to do my job and avoid the light (which was a direct violation of the CA Health code because it did NOT have a cover on it) this chick wouln't work with me.  I didn't want to get fired for insuboordination, and I KNOW that if I tried to complain to upper management about it, they'd find a reason to BS and let me go, and I also knew that going to the Labor Board wouldn't work, either.  You just can't fight corporate, so I had to quit, even though I'd been there 5 years without incident.

I hadn't thought about getting tested for Lyme disease, but I HAVE been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, so I wonder if there's a connection. Good thread!