New2view's Blog   Life on The Blue Marble

Reading about a courageous woman with a rare disease caused by UV (Ultra Violet radiation) motivates this post.

Of course natural sunshine embodies UV light, but who would doubt 21st century atmospheric conditions do not adversely affect normal delivery of those rays to us today.?

Whether or not that is the case. we do normally require natural sunlight for the production of vitamin D etc. However there are reasons to believe that extra exposure to UV may well be detrimental to our heath.

Therefore I’m writing this post to simply point out, as that woman very well did, that any excess UV exposure can be harmful. How harmful? In her case she can no longer be exposed to normal daylight and must live only as a night person. The frightening disease she has is rare, but who knows how much harm is caused by the constant UV exposure in offices and homes for millions of others by ubiquitous fluorescent lights!?

Case in point: I recently received a diagnosis of BCC (Basal Cell Carcinoma) in an area near my right ear. It’s not considered serious, however that form of cancer is definitely known to be caused by UV radiation, and in my case I firmly believe it was caused by a low wattage, twin-tube, fluorescent reading lamp. In fact I have used that lamp on a daily basis for many years just above my right ear!

True; I have no solid scientific facts to back this up, however take note that the Canadian Cancer Society did not dispute this possibility when I checked with them.

Therefore anyone reading this please take note: the skin damage caused by excessive sun-bathing, or by tanning studio lights, may only be the tip of the iceberg. Its quite clear that prolonged exposure to UV light, be it from the sun, or from fluorescent lighting sources, (including to a lessor degree LED lighting), is definitely dangerous and harmful!