Can emergency lights trigger epilepsy?

For about 3\% of people with epilepsy, exposure to flashing lights at certain intensities or to certain visual patterns can trigger seizures. This condition is known as photosensitive epilepsy. More common in children and adolescents.

Why do flashing lights trigger epilepsy?

Certain patterns of light — flashing bright lights at particular frequencies — synchronize cells within the visual cortex. If the neurons then fire through their networks at too high a level, they can recruit other neurons into a hyper-synchronous discharge. That’s what happens in the brain during a seizure.

Can electronics cause seizures?

Computer screens are unlikely to be a seizure trigger. However if there are flashing or flickering images, or some types of pattern on the screen, these could be a seizure trigger.

Can lights trigger seizures?

Photosensitive seizures are triggered by flashing or flickering lights. These seizures can also be triggered by certain patterns such as stripes. Photosensitive seizures can fall under several categories, including tonic-clonic, absence, myoclonic and focal seizures.

Can you get a seizure from flashing lights without epilepsy?

Photosensitive epilepsy is when seizures are triggered by flashing lights or contrasting light and dark patterns. Photosensitive epilepsy is not common but it may be diagnosed when you have an EEG test. Flashing or patterned effects can make people with or without epilepsy feel disorientated, uncomfortable or unwell.

What type of lights cause seizures?

Can bright light trigger seizures?

Due to a condition called photosensitive epilepsy, lights can trigger seizures in one in 10,000 adults and one in 4,000 children and adolescents. Many people are unaware of a sensitivity to flickering lights or certain patterns until they have a seizure.

What kind of lights cause seizures?

What kind of lights can cause seizures?

Do bright lights trigger seizures?