Do fluorescent lights bother you?

[*****]

I attended a meeting that was held at a church, the first meeting in a year since covid.  It was only an hour, but as it went on, I remembered how some places with fluorescent lights just kill my eyes.  I am home with a headache now and feel crappy (I was tired today, maybe the lights exasperated my tiredness?)  I have been wanting to go back to church (this was not one that we attend), but the idea of dealing with these kinds of lights make me hesitant.  Not during the sermons, but for the social gatherings.  I feel like a ninny if I have to explain myself for needing to duck out of social gatherings because of the lights.  

Anyone else have this issue and how do you handle it?!

[Dmmetler]

Yes. According to my neurologist, florescent lights can trigger migraines in some people, and I'm one of the lucky ones (yay, me!). In my studio, where we have overhead lights like in a school, I will turn on a lamp and turn off the overhead lights to take a break, but it's really not bright enough to read by. My building engineer is also really good at changing them when they start to go vs waiting until they go out, because that stage is definitely worse than when they are fresh. 

[sweet2ndchance]

I hate the light and the buzzing from fluorescent lights. Both drive me nuts. I also wear sunglasses all the time and get headaches from extended exposure to bright light (aka something I cannot flee immediately when the light starts to hurt my eyes). And honestly it doesn't even have to be terribly bright to bother me. Even just the wrong color of light or the angle can be bothersome to me.

[TravelingChris]

Fluorescent lights make my lupus and Sjogren's flare.  A few years ago, I went with dd2 to Michaels, unfortunately.  It has unguarded fluorescent lights.  I was there maybe 6 minutes.  By the time I got to the register, I had such brain fog that my dd had to help me.  

I totally avoid all fluorescent lighting.  I choose hotels based on what kind of lighting they have too.

[Katy]

Yes.  I developed debilitating headaches after switching to compact fluorescent bulbs. 

[prairiewindmomma]

Yes, they trigger migraines for me, especially if there is a ceiling fan going as well.

[fairfarmhand]

Have you guys with sensitive eyes ever considered transitional lenses (as in contact lenses) I have them and they help considerably with eye strain from too bright lights.

[mommyoffive]

10 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Yes, they trigger migraines for me, especially if there is a ceiling fan going as well.

I am getting sick just thinking of that. 

Yeah I don't like those kind of lights either.  

[prairiewindmomma]

For me it’s a flicker/strobe/pulse issue. Some fluorescents pulse. It’s not obvious to people who aren’t sensitive to it, but it’s a thing.

[prairiewindmomma]

Just now, prairiewindmomma said:

For me it’s a flicker/strobe/pulse issue. Some fluorescents pulse. It’s not obvious to people who aren’t sensitive to it, but it’s a thing.

ETA: even sunlight flowing through trees when I am driving can be enough of a pulse effect. It is not the brightness/harshness that is the problem.

[Ditto]

Yes, very much so.  I can't go into Ulta because their lights overwhelm me so much that my heart pounds and my anxiety sky rockets.   Some Target stores are the same way (though not all).     I am an HSP and all overhead lighting bothers me, but florescent lights are unbearable.    If I had my way all overhead lighting would be abolished and florescent lights would be illegal.

[desertflower]

Yes, but I have irlen syndrome.  The bright lights overstimulates part of my brain, can make me sleepy and occasionally the left side of my neck hurts.  My son has irlen syndrome too.  We went to a specialist and got glasses for him.  He doesn't complain about chest or head hurting anymore.  I will probably go after this pandemic. 

My husband has irlen syndrome too, but he doesn't have any pain.  Everyone is different. 

[lulalu]

1 hour ago, prairiewindmomma said:

For me it’s a flicker/strobe/pulse issue. Some fluorescents pulse. It’s not obvious to people who aren’t sensitive to it, but it’s a thing.

Yes that is what bothers me too. 

And the buzzing. 

[lulalu]

1 hour ago, prairiewindmomma said:

ETA: even sunlight flowing through trees when I am driving can be enough of a pulse effect. It is not the brightness/harshness that is the problem.

Yes this too. Dh thinks I make too much of it. 

[EKS]

According to my husband's neurologist, fluorescent lights can trigger seizures.

[frogger]

Yes, both the flickering and buzzing bother me.

[*****]

6 hours ago, sweet2ndchance said:

Even just the wrong color of light or the angle can be bothersome to me.

Yes, I have seen that, especially when some are super bright. Or when it is dark outside, then inside seems super bright. 

Today, the room has walls that are partially a pea-green/yellowish color. And I just sit there and ask myself, why?!  I was so glad when the meeting ended, but it was nearing a migraine by the time I got home. Aleve and rest have helped, but there went my day. 

4 hours ago, desertflower said:

Yes, but I have irlen syndrome.  The bright lights overstimulates part of my brain, can make me sleepy and occasionally the left side of my neck hurts.

Good to know, I have known a few who have tried the Irlen lenses. 

5 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

ETA: even sunlight flowing through trees when I am driving can be enough of a pulse effect. It is not the brightness/harshness that is the problem.

I have noticed that at times, will keep an eye on how often that happens. 

6 hours ago, TravelingChris said:

I totally avoid all fluorescent lighting.  I choose hotels based on what kind of lighting they have too.

And how do you know which ones, do you call and ask? 

 

4 hours ago, lulalu said:

Yes that is what bothers me too. 

And the buzzing. 

I know that can happen. Right now, my tinnitus is loud, so if the lights buzzed, I wouldn't have known it!

 

7 hours ago, Dreamergal said:

I am one of those insufferable people who wears sunglasses indoors.

I wondered about that. I will have to have them with me next time.

Well, it looks like I am definitely not alone on this one, sorry to hear so many of us deal with this. 

But by being sensitive to it, I can see how maybe this has impacted me in the past in places. I knew I was feeling something that was not making it easy for me to be there, but just didn't know what. It makes me wonder how many kids in schools suffer needlessly by this daily, and how it affects their learning.

[Kalmia]

Fluorescent lights trigger my infrequent migraines and caused my daughter to have to leave school many times with migraines caused by the fluorescent lighting. LED lighting is not better for either of us. That one gives me a strobe effect, so badly that if someone were to wave their hand while talking to me in a certain restaurant their shine of their wedding ring would "persist" across the arc. 

I was definitely one of those people that considered hoarding cases and cases of incandescent light bulbs when there were plans for removing them from sale and only allowing fluorescent bulbs. If they do go through with that (though I suppose for LEDs) I will stockpile, though it might be impossible to stockpile a lifetimes' worth! 

[Spryte]

Yes.  They trigger fatigue, brain fog, and migraines.  They used to be so bad I could not make it through a store. I have been better, after treating chronic infections for a billion years, but lately the lights seem to be bothering me again.  Maybe I’m out of practice, due to staying home so much.  

[TravelingChris]

6 hours ago, ***** said:

Yes, I have seen that, especially when some are super bright. Or when it is dark outside, then inside seems super bright. 

Today, the room has walls that are partially a pea-green/yellowish color. And I just sit there and ask myself, why?!  I was so glad when the meeting ended, but it was nearing a migraine by the time I got home. Aleve and rest have helped, but there went my day. 

Good to know, I have known a few who have tried the Irlen lenses. 

I have noticed that at times, will keep an eye on how often that happens. 

And how do you know which ones, do you call and ask? 

 

I know that can happen. Right now, my tinnitus is loud, so if the lights buzzed, I wouldn't have known it!

 

I wondered about that. I will have to have them with me next time.

Well, it looks like I am definitely not alone on this one, sorry to hear so many of us deal with this. 

But by being sensitive to it, I can see how maybe this has impacted me in the past in places. I knew I was feeling something that was not making it easy for me to be there, but just didn't know what. It makes me wonder how many kids in schools suffer needlessly by this daily, and how it affects their learning.

Yes, I do call and ask.  This was after a total fail in New Orleans a few years ago.  I cannot understand why a hotel would renovate and put in fluorescent lights.  I didn't think anyone was that stupid.  (Flourecent lights cost more in the long run, pollute the environment ((mercury)), and lots of people either dislike them or have actual medical issues with them).  So I have been calling or sometimes I see the photos of the hotel and can see the LED lights.  One place I have been since that bad hotel visit was a bed and breakfast in Kansas City that used incandescent light-- fine with me too.  

[lmrich]

YES! A nearby library has fluorescent lights and a heavily patterned carpet. I could not go in there without feeling so dizzy and bumping into things. 

[SKL]

Yes, they bother me.

[dsmith]

Can't stand them! Occasionally they trigger migraines or regular headaches after a long exposure, but usually I get vertigo from them, and a high pitched hum in my ears. 

[JFSinIL]

One or two local stores use them, and I flat out have trouble seeing in those stores.  At least now my aged ears no longer hear them.

[*****]

3 hours ago, Dreamergal said:

The side effect is when I first went to the eye doctor, they said that people who grew up in areas where the sun is bright have white spots that can be visible when they do the exam. I do not have any and as I grow older, less for my age. I am not explaining it well, but the doctor said it is the effect of wearing sunglasses and that is what he recommends. 

Interesting about the white spots. Yes, I wish my kids would have worn them when very young, but couldn't keep them on them.  Blue eyes... 

The sunglasses you wear indoors, are they dark like regular ones, or the lighter shade? 

[PeterPan]

Look at your zinc.