Long-wavelength red light emission from TV and photosensitive siezures.

Abstract

We investigated a role of long-wavelength red light emission from TV in the induction of photosensitive seizures by an animated TV program called "Pocket Monsters". The luminance energy of recorded color bar was measured by a spectroradiometer in cathode-ray tubes (CRTs) of photosensitive patients with and without seizures on the program (induced patients and photosensitive controls). The mean ratio of long-wavelength red light to total visible range was significantly higher in the CRTs of induced patients than in the CRTs of photosensitive controls. The ratio of luminance energy between at turn-on and at 60 min after turn-on of the CRTs indicated that luminance energy in long-wavelength red range from the CRTs of induced patients increased significantly after turn-on of CRTs. High amounts of long-wavelength red light emitted from CRTs might play an important role in induction of photosensitive seizures in "Pokemon" incident.