Comment from Jamie Troese

I am a 40-year-old female, mother, wife, and primary breadwinner for my family in rural Pennsylvania. I hold a B.S. in Biology and an M.S. in Forestry and have served in the public sector since 2010. I am submitting this comment because widespread, unregulated LED lighting has severely affected my health, safety, and ability to function in society. I have a long history of being active and highly functional. I drove manual transmission vehicles confidently in all weather conditions and had no fear of driving. Over the past decade, as LED lighting has become dominant in vehicles, buildings, streetlights, toys, and consumer products, I have developed progressively worsening neurological and visual reactions specifically triggered by LED exposure. In March 2024, following a three-day admission to the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at the Cleveland Clinic, I was formally diagnosed with Non-Epileptic Seizures precipitated by LED light exposure. During this hospitalization, I underwent continuous video electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring in a controlled clinical setting. Physicians systematically exposed me to incandescent, halogen, xenon, and LED light to identify triggers and distinguish epileptic from non-epileptic activity. Incandescent, halogen, and xenon lighting did not provoke a response. However, when exposed to LED lighting under physician supervision, particularly an LED headlight, I experienced an immediate seizure episode, which was captured on continuous video EEG. This controlled provocation, combined with the absence of epileptiform activity, led treating epileptologists to conclude that my episodes are non-epileptic seizures specifically triggered by LED light exposure. The diagnosis was rendered after direct observation, objective monitoring, and differential testing within a tertiary neurological center, providing documented evidence of a reproducible neurological response to LED light. My symptoms include but are not limited to intense eye pain, visual auras, checkerboard distortions, ringing ears, dizziness, nausea, cognitive impairment, memory loss, speech disruption, heart rate irregularities, uncontrolled blinking, severe multi-day migraines, and seizures. When exposed to LED vehicle headlights or daytime running lights, I lose the ability to speak coherently or think clearly. I have documented episodes where I could not answer simple questions, stand, or walk independently after exposure. These reactions occur not only from headlights, but from streetlamps, hospital lighting, emergency vehicles, retail environments, and children’s toys and shoes just to name a few. I can no longer safely drive or shop independently. I cannot get my daughter on and off the school bus or attend school functions. I must rely on my husband to escort me because LED exposure triggers acute neurological symptoms. I have left meetings due to cognitive disruption and loss of balance and withdrawn from public events, restaurants, and community life. My ophthalmologists report structurally healthy eyes. However, the absence of visible damage does not negate severe neurological responses. Multiple providers acknowledge others report LED sensitivity but lack regulatory guidance. The nationwide replacement of incandescent and fluorescent lighting with high-intensity LED systems has occurred without clear long-term neurological safety evaluation for chronic exposure. There appears to be no federal oversight addressing cumulative neurological impact, flicker frequency effects, spectral composition, or intensity thresholds for sensitive populations. There is no warning system regarding high-intensity vehicle headlights that may impair oncoming drivers. LED headlights and running lights pose particular concern. Exposure while driving can cause visual disruption, disorientation, and delayed reaction time. This is a public safety issue, not a comfort preference. Agricultural and construction equipment with extremely bright LED arrays present additional hazards. Individuals with severe reactions have no alternative lighting environments, resulting in social isolation, employment risk, and reduced access to care. I am not opposed to technological advancement. I respectfully request regulatory review, independent long-term studies on neurological and autonomic responses to LED exposure, evaluation of vehicle headlight intensity standards, establishment of flicker and modulation thresholds, labeling of spectral output and intensity, and accessibility standards for individuals with documented light-triggered neurological conditions. I want to continue working, contributing, and raising my family without fear of preventable environmental triggers. The current regulatory gap leaves individuals like me without protection or recourse. Please investigate the neurological safety of widespread LED implementation and consider safeguards for those adversely affected.