UV LEDs vs cathodes for eye safety

[occamsblade]

My current build has UV LEDs in it. I moved it about 5 months ago, and it has been sitting on the desk now. I can and do see the lights from the case the entire time I am on the computer (which is honestly not a whole lot). I have a family history of cataracts and am rethinking my use of UV for the cool factor. Does anyone know if the indirect UV light that comes through the glass (has some type of tint on it, not sure if it blocks any UV) is enough to cause damage? Are any UV lights for computer cases safer than others? I am using the Lian Li Dynamic 011 case if that helps. I had recently changed the configuration of the LEDs so they were less visible, that was due more to irritation than anything else... but was the irritation a sign of damage? I know the eye doc today told me I have the beginning of a cataract in one eye. But I don't wear sunglasses and there are a lot of other factors that could be at play.

I did a pretty serious web search and really did not find much on this. Hopefully someone knows something.

 

[UltraTaco]

That probably is nt good for your eyes. UV is used in medical field to disinfect; kills bacteria nd viruses.Case internals are probably quite sterile I doubt that case glass has any sort of uv coating on it. Don't forget UV light can also degrade pvc nd rubber components with time.

 

[occamsblade]

That probably is nt good for your eyes. UV is used in medical field to disinfect; kills bacteria nd viruses.Case internals are probably quite sterile I doubt that case glass has any sort of uv coating on it. Don't forget UV light can also degrade pvc nd rubber components with time.

The UV used in the medical field is UVC. The wavelengths for this are 390-405. It may kill some viruses and bacteria, but not much. As to degrading components, that it definitely can do. Plenty of people run UV though and we don't see a lot of destroyed component posts.

My real question here is if there is a way to make it safer. The do it or not question is important, but I am not just asking for myself. I'm also trying to get information out there for others in a similar situation. If anyone knows of any great resource where you can find the information already on the web that would be amazing.

 

[mackerel]

You could use a yellow filter which blocks blues/UV, but still allows some fluorescence effect to be seen.

I wouldn't worry much about UVA, it is even intentionally added to some lighting. UVC is the nasty one, hear stories occasionally of people using them in pond filters without adequate safeguards ending up with eye damage.

 

[occamsblade]

You could use a yellow filter which blocks blues/UV, but still allows some fluorescence effect to be seen.

I wouldn't worry much about UVA, it is even intentionally added to some lighting. UVC is the nasty one, hear stories occasionally of people using them in pond filters without adequate safeguards ending up with eye damage.

I wonder about that given that my eye doctor and all of the info I see on the web says to make sure that your glasses block UVA and UVB. I just rebuilt it anyway, and there are no UV LEDs in there right now. I think I will use some aluminum to aim the UV a little more at the tubing and shield me some. I would not worry as much if it were on the floor, but the case is literally right next to me on the desk. The cat played in the cables too much when it was on the floor.

 

[mackerel]

It's about quantity. UVA is the least energetic of the UV bands. At high intensity it can still give you a bad time, but for better or worse, most optically transparent materials are poor transmitters of UV. And any lighting you buy (for the purposes of lighting) should not have excessive emissions in normal use.