You flip the switch. The light turns on. Everything looks fine—until your eyes start to ache or you feel strangely tired. That’s flicker. It’s not always visible, but it can absolutely be there.
LED flicker is rapid and repeated changes in light output. It's often caused by fluctuations in power or poor-quality components. And yes, it can affect your comfort, your concentration, and even your health.
Some flicker you can see—like strobing in a slow-motion video. Other times, it’s imperceptible to the naked eye. But just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean your brain doesn’t notice.
Invisible flicker can still trigger eye strain, headaches, and fatigue. Especially after long hours under the light. It’s a silent disruptor.
It’s not just about comfort. Studies show that flicker—especially in the 100–120 Hz range—can cause measurable physiological stress. That includes migraines, reduced reading performance, and even distraction or anxiety.
For workplaces, classrooms, or anywhere people need to focus, flicker is more than an inconvenience. It’s a productivity killer.
Flicker isn’t an LED issue by nature. It’s a system issue. Most of the time, the culprit is how the LED is powered and controlled.
At LUX, we build our drivers right into the lamp. That gives us complete control over performance and ensures steady, clean light.
PWM dimming is a technique that controls brightness by rapidly switching the light on and off. It’s efficient, but if not implemented well, it creates noticeable flicker—especially at lower dim settings.
We avoid that by tuning our dimming systems to operate outside the problem ranges.
Voltage inconsistencies, poor wiring, or aging infrastructure can contribute too. But if your fixture is designed right, it can buffer those effects.
The easiest way to spot flicker? Use your phone’s camera in slow motion near the light. You’ll often see banding or pulsing lines if flicker is present.
At LUX, our lights don’t just pass the test—they were designed with it in mind.
Trying to avoid flicker? Look for:
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Built-in drivers (like ours)
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PCB-mounted LEDs, which provide thermal and power stability (like ours)
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Reputable brands that prioritize light quality (like ours)
Photographers, designers, architects, filmmakers—flicker can destroy your visuals. Those faint rolling bands on a screen? That’s flicker.
Even small amounts can ruin footage or introduce post-production nightmares. That’s why we design our lights with zero-compromise circuitry. When you light a space with LUX, what you see is what you get. There's a reason film and TV studios have used LUX lights in their productions in the past!
Flicker isn’t something most people think about—until they feel the effects. But the solution is simple: use better lights.
LUX LED fixtures are engineered from the inside out to deliver clean, steady illumination. Built-in drivers. PCB-mounted LEDs. No shortcuts. No eye strain.
You deserve a light that works as hard as you do. Let’s leave flicker in the past.
