Cataracts and LED 4000K & 5000K bulbs

[leehljp]

What Cataracts will do . . .

Back in the early 2000's when LED home lights came out, I was in Japan. I usually came home (USA) yearly for a month or so and checked in with HD and Lowes and other hardware stores - on their LED lights. Japan always seemed to be ahead by 2 or 3 years over the USA on the diversity of light sizes and tints (Ks) for the home.

Back in 2004 & 5, I was impressed with the 4000K, thought the 5000K was too white and a hint of purple, and 6000K was a very purplish tint to me. By 2011-2012, when I returned home for good from Japan, the 4000K light here (USA) seemed to have a hint of yellowish tint and 5000 was bright daylight white. IN the last 3 or 4 years, 5000K seemed to be fading a bit and 6000K seemed to be the bright daylight white.

I had become convinced that LED light manufacturers were doing with LED grades the same as amplifier manufacturers used to do with sound amps in the power measurements back in the 60's and '70s.

THEN . . . THEN I had cataract surgery on one eye yesterday. WOW, with one eye's cataracts removed, and the other one not yet done - the newly fixed or rather cataracts removed eye saw bright bluish 5000K lights of our kitchen, living room and bedrooms, while the not-yet-removed cataract lens looked at the same lights and saw them with a slight yellow/amber tint.

What a difference cataract make to the way we see things!

I just got back from my 1st day surgery followup. Doc asked me to read the chart. He was impressed when I read the very bottom line on his chart one day after the cataract removal, and with a corrective lens inserted. My doctor said I had moderate cataracts, not real serious, but not minor either. For me, on the first one - No pain, no problem. I will have the followup surgery for the right eye in 3 weeks - after two different business trips to Fl and GA.

If things don't seem as bright as they used to be, consult your specialist. It sure is better when the cataracts are gone.

[Jim Frye]

I had double cataract replacement surgery last year and discovered the house behind ours was white, not tan or off white. Also, I am now very sensitive to sunlight. I now wear a pair of UV, polarized, wraparound sunglasses whenever I'm outdoors.

[Dedpedal]

You should look into window tint for your cars windows. Including the windshield. I have a clear ceramic one mine and it did wonders for me after my Cadillac surgery. I can see **** well but I still can’t spell.
Pm me if you want.

[Jim Frye]

I wear the sunglasses in the car also. My BIL was a bus driver and had to have the surgery also. Seems it's a common ailment in that job as the UV comes in the side window of the bus, which is never tinted much.

[leehljp]

I had double cataract replacement surgery last year and discovered the house behind ours was white, not tan or off white. Also, I am now very sensitive to sunlight. I now wear a pair of UV, polarized, wraparound sunglasses whenever I'm outdoors.

That is what I am noticing big time! That is why the light bulb's K ratings changed for me from 20 years ago.

[sweensdv]

I also had double cataract surgery last year and had/have the same sensitivity now to sunlight as Jim's experiencing. I will take that little inconvenience any day compared to what my vision was before the surgery. I used to wear glasses before the surgery but don't need them any longer. Good luck with your second cataract surgery.

[dbhost]

So early adoption of LEDs, notably traffic signals in Oregon occurred in the 1990s. I know this for a fact because I asked after noticing something weird.

Something not many know, and I don't think I have ever mentioned it here, is I was born with congenital nystagmus. https://nystagmus.org/ which is an eye condition where the eyes move in an involuntary manner making it somewhat harder to focus, it also makes me MUCH more sensitve to 60 cycle flickers.

Well early LEDs to me were like flashing strobe lights, to the point I would literally have to look away frequently from traffic signals to keep from getting nausea. As the technology progressed, the flicker was somehow changed / mitigated. I have no idea how, but I, and one other friend with the same condition, no longer notice it. It may be we acclimated to it, but as it is now, I am so accustomed to LED lighting I have it all throughout my home. It helps with the energy bills and the bulbs seem to last a LOT longer...

[capncarl]

I just dredged this old post up, couldn’t find a specific Shop Lighting one.
A buddy of mine with a 1980s era detached concrete block garage with open rafter ceiling finally decided to update his 40 year old fluorescent lighting! I’ve been after him for years to get it done, he must use a head light because it is as dark as a cave in there! His son finally took matters in his own hand and bought 4’ led troffer upgrade kits. He called me to get my opinion ( hoping I would come put them in and suprise dad) First off, these are not troffer lights, just ell-cheap o dangle down with a chain fixtures. Anyway, these were troffer ( closed in lights intended to be used in drop in ceiling tile and Sheetrock ceilings ) fluo/led retro kits.
It can’t get any easier than this. Throw away the ballast, bulbs, tombstone’s and wires. The driver replaces the ballast, attaches with magnets onto the reflector, and the bulbs attach to the reflector with magnets as well. 3 wire nuts on the power wires and tuck away the extra wire and you are finished. 10 minutes if you have to wipe off the cobwebs. These were 4 bulb retro kits so it was possible to retro 2 2 bulb fixtures with one retro kit! I wish I had known about these when I upgraded my fluorescents to LED.

[leehljp]

I watched a guy do that last year. Worked well and it was fairly fast too, as you said. I think he replaced four 4-bulb lights in about 1 1/2 hour up on a ladder