Some Light Bulbs Causing Serious Problems for Lupus Patients

Kyra Miller of West Rogers Park contacted NBC 5 Responds to help her shine light on an issue that she said impacts photosensitive people. She said her solution is as easy as changing a light bulb.

“My goal is to have hospitals and high schools and universities switch over to LED by 2020,” Miller said.

Miller, 46, was diagnosed with Lupus six years ago. The autoimmune disease can damage any part of the body, including skin, joints and organs. The disease impacts 1.5 million Americans and many patients experience photosensitivity to UV.

Miller said she is highly-sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) from the sun, which requires her to wear a hat and gloves outside no matter the temperature.

“People think a little suspiciously of me because I’m a masked woman and they think, ‘what is she doing?’” Miller said.

Miller told NBC 5 Responds certain indoor lights that emit UV can also make her sick, especially when she finds herself in hospitals or other buildings for long stretches of time while recovering from Lupus flares.

“I’m always asking the nurses, can you please turn off the lights?” Miller said.

Some photosensitive patients may get skin rashes or sores from UV. Others suffer more severe symptoms.

“It’s not only the skin disease that gets worse, it can also affect the entire disease process so it can make the patients get more fatigued, get sort of a muscle soreness,” said rheumatologist Dr. Kichul Ko of the University of Chicago Medicine.

According to the FDA, all compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) emit some UV. The FDA posts on its website, “unless you are one of the few individuals who have a medical condition (such as some forms of Lupus) that makes you particularly sensitive to either UV or even visible light, you should be able to use these lamps at the same distance as you would use traditional incandescent lamps.”

Miller advocates for Lupus patients nationwide and calls her project Change a Light Bulb for Lupus.

“I’m starting with hospitals and schools just because hospitals are somewhere where people with Lupus often find ourselves,” Miller said.

She points out Skokie North Shore Hospital has switched to LED bulbs, which are touted as having minimal to no UV.

The Lupus Foundation of America said more research is needed to study how CFL bulbs may impact photosensitive patients. Most research so far relies on anecdotal information from patients.

“The amount of UV that these lamps generate is much lower than what we would see in the sunlight, but also take in to consideration these (Lupus) patients are exposed to these indoor lamps a much longer duration compared to the sunlight,” Ko said.

According to various websites, LED bulbs may cost about 30% more than CFL bulbs up front. Both bulbs are considered energy efficient and are designed to save consumers money over time.

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