Efforts are currently underway in several countries to ban incandescent light bulbs, essentially mandating the use of energy-saving light bulbs instead. But new findings in the UK now suggest this may have a profound negative effect on some people’s lives.

The are indications that some people with epilepsy experience symptoms similar the start of an epileptic fit when exposed to light from energy saving bulbs. The cause of this effect is not yet known.

Unlike regular bulbs which burn steadily energy saving bulbs flicker at a rate to fast for the human eye to actually notice. But the rate at which the flicker isn’t associated with having ill effects on epilepsy sufferers.

There are several theories as to what might be the cause, if not the flickering, but the research is still in its early stages. It is not yet clear whether or how these developments will affect plans to phase out incandescent light bulbs.

Read more on this story from the Daily Mail