New LED Streetlights in Meridian

To improve the safety of drivers at night along a portion of Mississippi Highway 39, Meridian's street department will be installing 156 LED light fixtures along a several mile stretch of Mississippi Highway 39. Benefits of LED lights touted in a city press release include the ability for LED lights to remain bright as they age, elimination of replacement costs and reduced energy and maintenance expenditures. In addition, LED lights emit light that resembles natural daylight more than the glow of yellow street lamps, which should improve both pedestrian and driver safety after dusk. Your Meridian eye doctors also want you to know that LED ("blue") light may negatively affect your health and vision.

What is LED Light and How Does it Affect You?

All light is composed of electromagnetic particles traveling continuously in energy emitting waves that vary in strength and length. Shorter wavelengths produce higher energy outputs. Wavelengths are categorized as radio, x-rays, gamma rays, infrared light, UV rays or visible light. Each wavelength is further defined by different colors. Humans can only perceive the visible light part of the spectrum, which includes the red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet colors of the spectrum. With an extremely short wavelength and higher energy emission, blue light has been found in studies to potentially interfere with your health and vision.

Laptop/computer screens, tablets, smartphones, fluorescent lighting and LED lights emit blue light. Also called High Energy Visible wavelengths, blue light flickers and creates glare more easily than other wavelengths. That's why spending too much time in front of a digital screen causes headaches, eyestrain, and cognitive fatigue. Optometrists also warn heavy digital device users that retinal damage or more rapid development of age-related macular degeneration may occur because the natural filters in our eyes did not evolve to protect our eyes from the blue light.

A quick solution to countering the effects of the blue lights is to wear eyeglasses with blue light blocking technology. This is built into the lenses and can tremendously help patients! If you still have any questions or concerns, your Meridian optometrist will be more than happy to help you!

Call Your Meridian Eye Doctors Today!

While the new LED streetlights in Meridian will improve highway safety at night for drivers and pedestrians, your Meridian eye doctors urge those who stare at digital screens all day to get their eyes and vision checked every year. Call us at 601-485-2020 to schedule an appointment for a comprehensive eye exam.


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Locations

Hours

Primary Eyecare & Optical of Meridian

Monday, Wednesday - Friday

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Tuesday

8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Saturday, Sunday

Closed

Primary Eyecare & Optical of Meridian

Monday, Wednesday - Friday
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Tuesday
8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Saturday, Sunday
Closed