authorities warn of risks to children’s eyes
Night lights, robots, interactive tablets, lighted spinning tops, electric board games… many toys contain LEDs, there are something for all ages. But some emit blue light which can affect the retina and disrupt children’s sleep, particularly in the event of exposure before bedtime or during the night, warns the Health Safety Agency (ANSES) in a press release published this Tuesday. “Children have a clearer lens and a smaller eyeball than adults, which leads to greater retinal illumination, and therefore makes children more sensitive to blue light and its risks,” explains ANSES.
The latest less protective standard
The safety of electric toys is verified using a European standard, which has been updated in 2020 and the new version of which entered into force in 2022. At the request of the French Ministry of Health, ANSES looked into this update. And after examination, the Agency concludes that the latest standard does not guarantee compliance with the limit values ensuring the protection of children’s eyes.
ANSES has identified “several errors” in the scientific study on which the protocol is based, errors “which can lead toys declared compliant to exceed the exposure limit values”, it details in its press release. ANSES also carried out tests on a sample of 19 LEDs contained in toys available on the market. They “confirmed that the 2020 version of the standard is less protective than the previous one, that of 2005: eight of the toys tested could not have been placed on the market with the 2005 standard, due to exceeding the requirements of security, compared to just one with that of 2020,” explains the agency.
Avoid exposure before bedtime
ANSES has been warning about the harmful effects of LEDs on vision since 2010. It has notably warned of the risks of damage to the retina, and in particular the increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). “Given the health issues”, ANSES recommends “rapidly” initiating a review of European regulations.
In the meantime, she recommends a temporary return to the 2005 version to check the eye safety of the toys in question. To protect children from these risks, ANSES also reminds that it is advisable to limit exposure to blue or white LEDs, and to avoid luminous toys two hours before bedtime, so as not to disrupt biological rhythms and falling asleep.
