Protective Eye Wear for LED lights

greenthumbomaha · January 4, 2019

There is an impressive thread on this forum on indoor growing with powerful new 1000W LED'S, which got me thinking about protective eye wear.

I have not researched this topic recently, but in prior years protective glasses were available at my hydro store for a hefty (over $100) price.

So what does everyone else use, or not use? I could set up in my living (dining room) space with no door to close so I might also need to buy some type of screen to keep the glow out of the kitchen, but I'm most worried about eye exposure. Ideas and experience welcome.

- Lisa

Tomzhawaii · January 4, 2019

I found this on a great growers website.
https://www.maximumyield.com/eye-care-growroom/2/1458

greenthumbomaha · January 4, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomzhawaii

I found this on a great growers website.
https://www.maximumyield.com/eye-care-growroom/2/1458

Oh wow, that article is from Nov 2015. That is the date of my LED purchase on my amazon receipt.

I believe indoor LED growing was not as "available" at that time.

- Lisa

oldman · January 4, 2019

I use 600w light, 3 of the each for about 6 flats, roughly 1300 seedlings. Taller plants are set around the edges to make use of light that would just go to waste if they weren't there to catch it. The lights sit on wire storage shelves so they aren't high off the floor and have better support than they'd get hanging. I did tent them in mylar emergency blankets for a month or so the first year, but that was too much hassle when I wanted to mist, rotate, or just check plants.

I have the lights on a timer and they operate from 11pm to 7am. If I think the plants need more light they might get another 4 hours in the afternoon. I do my health checks, moisture monitoring and whatnot in the morning after the lights are off. Since the lights are below eyelevel and not on much when I'm around them I don't worry about eye protection. If I were worried, I'd be using sunglasses since I doubt that even full spectrum LEDs are going to have harmful output at the power level and exposure I'm using. I wouldn't stare at the array when it was on, but my setup doesn't allow for that anyway. II'm fortunate enough to have a mostly empty bedroom upstairs I use as a plant room.

If you were in a commercial environment growing a high value crop that needed frequent pruning or whatever it is pot growers do, you might want to spring for top of the line eye protection. But a hobbist who tends plants once or twice a day can just shut down the lights if he's worried. You aren't growing a crop under lights, you're just giving your crop an indoor head start. Alive and reasonably healthy is all you're likely going for. Fruit, blooms, or prolificly growing vegetation aren't the initial goal in plants you're going to set out. Just use the light you need at a hight that puts most of it on your plants and you shouldn't need to worry.

SQWIBB · January 4, 2019

I have done a bit of research on this and there is a split on Led's being a safety issue. I haven't found any truly legitimate research about this issue.
I don't think its a big deal if your grow room is in a tent or situated away from rooms that you may be in on a daily basis, like in a room where you are watching tv.

However, with that said, I would always err on the side of caution. If you plan on running Led's in a room that you will be in any length of time. I probably would buy sun curtains and use a makeshift curtain rod setup with pvc or something.
You could have the curtains open from the center to work on the plants. If you have the cash, a Grow tent would be nice.

Unlike oldman, I plan on growing the entire winter from November till spring planting.

My grow room is in the basement where it is 100 percent cut off from the daily hustle and bustle of my family or pets, with the occasion visit to the garage fridge to grab some sodas.

I did order a Pair of UV sunglasses that I will use when I am tending to my plants, but I draw the line at sunblock

January 4, 2019	#1
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	Protective Eye Wear for LED lights There is an impressive thread on this forum on indoor growing with powerful new 1000W LED'S, which got me thinking about protective eye wear. I have not researched this topic recently, but in prior years protective glasses were available at my hydro store for a hefty (over $100) price. So what does everyone else use, or not use? I could set up in my living (dining room) space with no door to close so I might also need to buy some type of screen to keep the glow out of the kitchen, but I'm most worried about eye exposure. Ideas and experience welcome. - Lisa

January 4, 2019	#4
oldman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Kansas 5b Posts: 198	I use 600w light, 3 of the each for about 6 flats, roughly 1300 seedlings. Taller plants are set around the edges to make use of light that would just go to waste if they weren't there to catch it. The lights sit on wire storage shelves so they aren't high off the floor and have better support than they'd get hanging. I did tent them in mylar emergency blankets for a month or so the first year, but that was too much hassle when I wanted to mist, rotate, or just check plants. I have the lights on a timer and they operate from 11pm to 7am. If I think the plants need more light they might get another 4 hours in the afternoon. I do my health checks, moisture monitoring and whatnot in the morning after the lights are off. Since the lights are below eyelevel and not on much when I'm around them I don't worry about eye protection. If I were worried, I'd be using sunglasses since I doubt that even full spectrum LEDs are going to have harmful output at the power level and exposure I'm using. I wouldn't stare at the array when it was on, but my setup doesn't allow for that anyway. II'm fortunate enough to have a mostly empty bedroom upstairs I use as a plant room. If you were in a commercial environment growing a high value crop that needed frequent pruning or whatever it is pot growers do, you might want to spring for top of the line eye protection. But a hobbist who tends plants once or twice a day can just shut down the lights if he's worried. You aren't growing a crop under lights, you're just giving your crop an indoor head start. Alive and reasonably healthy is all you're likely going for. Fruit, blooms, or prolificly growing vegetation aren't the initial goal in plants you're going to set out. Just use the light you need at a hight that puts most of it on your plants and you shouldn't need to worry. Last edited by oldman; January 4, 2019 at 12:55 AM.

January 4, 2019	#2
Tomzhawaii Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Honolulu ,Hawaii Posts: 262	I found this on a great growers website. https://www.maximumyield.com/eye-care-growroom/2/1458

January 4, 2019	#5
SQWIBB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Philly 7A Posts: 739	I have done a bit of research on this and there is a split on Led's being a safety issue. I haven't found any truly legitimate research about this issue. I don't think its a big deal if your grow room is in a tent or situated away from rooms that you may be in on a daily basis, like in a room where you are watching tv. However, with that said, I would always err on the side of caution. If you plan on running Led's in a room that you will be in any length of time. I probably would buy sun curtains and use a makeshift curtain rod setup with pvc or something. You could have the curtains open from the center to work on the plants. If you have the cash, a Grow tent would be nice. Unlike oldman, I plan on growing the entire winter from November till spring planting. My grow room is in the basement where it is 100 percent cut off from the daily hustle and bustle of my family or pets, with the occasion visit to the garage fridge to grab some sodas. I did order a Pair of UV sunglasses that I will use when I am tending to my plants, but I draw the line at sunblock