LED lights are cool and bright. They’re also energy efficient and long lasting. And they’re safe for eyes, according to the American Optometric Association.

LEDs are made up of tiny LED diodes that produce light when an electrical current passes through them. This is different from incandescent bulbs, which use a tungsten filament to produce heat and light, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). Incandescent bulbs emit infrared radiation — invisible rays that can cause eye damage if you look directly at them — but LEDs don’t emit infrared radiation.

“The wavelength of light emitted by an LED is not harmful to your eyes,” said Dr. Alan Epstein, professor emeritus at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York who specializes in ophthalmology, optometry and vision science research.

Last modified: October 6, 2022