lcd screen radiation brands

Video display products that contain cathode ray tubes (CRTs) can give off x-rays. The CRT is a specialized vacuum tube that receives and displays images on an electronic screen. Most modern computers monitors and televisions (TVs) today use liquid crystal display (LCD), Light-emitting diodes (LED), or plasma.

In the early 1960s, some TVs with CRTs were found to emit excessive x-radiation, and a federal performance standard was created to protect the public from this hazard. Today, electronic technology for TVs and computer monitors with CRTs has changed so drastically that the level of risk of x-ray exposure is almost non-existent. Manufacturers of products that use CRTs must certify that their products comply with the federal performance standard for the life of the product.

TV receivers and computer monitors containing CRTs no longer pose a risk of emitting any x-radiation. Since the creation of the federal performance standard, the FDA has tested hundreds of TV receivers and computer monitors and rarely encountered any that were unsafe.

Manufacturers of electronic radiation emitting products sold in the United States are responsible for compliance with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), Chapter V, Subchapter C - Electronic Product Radiation Control.

In addition, TV receivers and monitors with CRTs must comply with radiation safety performance standards in Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations (Subchapter J, Radiological Health) Parts 1010 and 1020:

In this post, I’m going to tell you how computer monitors emit EMF radiation, how much they emit, how you can test this, and what you can do about it.

(Just a quick note before we move on. I would love for you to take just a minute and check out Nicolas Pineault’s groundbreaking E-book “A Non-Tinfoil Guide To EMFs.” It is the most entertaining and informative book on EMF radiation you’ll ever read, I promise.)

There are primarily three types of radiation sources that a computer monitor is likely to have, UV light radiation, x-ray radiation, and EMF radiation. Which radiation, and how much they emit, will depend largely on the monitor. Let’s talk a little bit about each kind.

There are basically two categories of monitors: cathode-ray tubes, and the flat-screen monitors that you see today, which are typically either LED or LCD based screens.

Prior to about 2001, almost all monitors were using cathode-ray tube (CRT) technology to power the screens. However, these types of monitors generate, and leak, small amounts of highly dangerous X-Ray Radiation. Although this had been recognized since the 60’s as being dangerous, it was not until the late 1990’s that manufacturers really fell under scrutiny for continuing to make a knowingly dangerous product.

This led to the manufacturing of Light Emitting Diode (LED) and liquid crystal display (LCD), which is what I used for nearly all modern monitors (and televisions)

Exposure to x-radiation is obviously extremely harmful and is an unfortunate bi-product of older style cathode ray tube (CRT) type monitors. The electronics in these old monitors generated extremely high voltages that would often result in x-ray radiation.

Although x-radiation that you could receive from one of these older style CRT monitors is dangerous and harmful, it is much less than you would receive from a medical x-ray machine or the x-ray at the dentist. This is the reason that they have you wear led vests to protect your body from the radiation.

Later versions of CRT monitors were slightly safer, as manufacturers began to take steps to reduce this x-ray radiation by adding lead to the cathode ray tube, which helped to cut down on this issue.

The EMF meter that the gentleman is using in this video is the older version of the Trifield meter, the company now has the new TriField TF2 (read my review), but we’ll talk about that a bit more down below in the section about measuring computer monitor radiation.

Ultraviolet light (UV) is much less harmful than x-ray radiation, but high amounts over a long period of time can still certainly cause harm. Some monitors actually have a fluorescent lamp that is part of the illumination. When the ultraviolet light strikes a white phosphor, the visible light that you see is created, but it has the side effect of sometimes leaking ultraviolet light out.

Luckily they make screen protectors for computer monitors that not only block 100% of the UV light but also help to filter out blue lights that can cause computer vision syndrome (CVS) from longterm exposure to computer monitors.

The EMF Radiation from your computer monitor will be relatively small and come from circuitry in the back of the unit. As you can see from the video above when he is testing an LCD monitor, there is still a noticeable amount of EMF radiation, but you have to be quite close.

This amount of radiation is enough to cause damage over time. In fact, a study showed that the radiation emitted from a monitor was enough to destabilize the oxidant/antioxidant balance in the cornea’s of rats over even a small amount of time.

The Long Island Power Authority did a study where they measured the average EMF radiation from many home appliances. Although they did not specifically test LCD or led computer monitors, they did test led and LCD televisions. Here are the numbers they came up with at the following distances:

As you can see, there is quite a large amount of EMF radiation at VERY close distances, but if you sit at least three feet away from the screen, you will not much need to worry about EMF radiation exposure. Be sure that you don’t sit so far away that you strain your eyes, but do keep at least 3 feet between you and the screen.

This applies to almost anything that you want to test, but you first need to start by getting a high-quality EMF meter. I personally use, and love, the new TriField TF2 (read my review). It is super easy to use, incredibly accurate, and measures every kind of EMF radiation, which you’ll realize is really important. If you need to start with a lower cost version I also like the Meterk (read my review).

Getting a good EMF meter is one of the absolute best things you can do if you care about the dangers of EMF radiation. Whether it’s figuring out how much radiation your Smart Meter is emitting, or testing to see if your microwave is leaking radiation, or comparing cell phone radiation, having a good EMF meter is the first step in knowing what the problem is, and knowing if your solutions are working.

Now, to test the radiation from a computer monitor, start by turning the monitor off, and getting a baseline reading near it. Then, turn the monitor on and give it a few seconds to boot up.

Start from about 5 feet away, and slowly move towards the monitor with your meter. Take notes of the radiation levels at different distances and note how it exponentially increases as you get within a few inches.

First of all, computer monitors do emit a relatively small amount of EMF radiation at reasonable distances. So the absolute best thing you can do is keep at least a reasonable distance (3 feet or more) between you and the monitor whenever possible.

They don’t seem to make a good shield for computer monitors that are actually intended to block EMF radiation, but they do make this window film that you can pick up on Amazon, that you could cut to fit the size of your monitor if you really wanted to reduce the amount of radiation you’re exposing yourself to.

Although it won’t block radiation, if you are staring at a computer or tv quite a bit during your day, you should consider picking up a pair of glasses that block the blue light rays. This will help protect your eyes from long term exposure.

A simple flat screen emits very low levels of EMF radiation. But the new generations of smart TVs emit stronger EMF signals. They will often emit both radio frequencies (RF) and Bluetooth radiation.

These old TVs actually emit low levels of X-ray radiation, which is much more dangerous than the other types of your EMFs we are concerned with from newer screens.

LCD TVs were the first types of flat screens to enter the market after we went away from the old bulky TVs we mentioned above. They are still found in many homes and they are filled around the fluorescent technology.

LCD TVs are powered by CCFL lamps. The screen is lit up by these lamps. CCFL is short for “Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp” and that means that we are dealing with fluorescent light.

You need to keep some distance to these monitors. You should stay at least 4-5 feet away from the screen in order to get the levels below the safe limits.

It’s not the best option if you are using this screen as a computer monitor. Because you will typically be sitting very close to the screen and you will (probably) often be leaning forward even though you try to keep 4-5 feet distance.

It’s simply not possible to switch off the Bluetooth and the RF signal to a smart TV. It will always be emitting RF radiation because it will constantly search for or communicate with Wi-Fi routers in your room.

This is always the option we recommend. The computer monitor is the best choice when you want a radiation-free TV in your living room or your bedroom.

We need to talk about ELF radiation and RF radiation separately. If you don’t know the difference you can start by reading the article we have written here about ELF and RF radiation.

Basically, ELF radiation is coming from the electronics inside the TV such as the transformer that generates power for the TV. The RF radiation, on the other hand, is coming from the countless wireless signals we have around modern smart TVs.

Plasma TVs do use much more energy than the two previous TV-technologies: CRT and LCD screens. So you need to pay attention to the electromagnetic fields close to the screen.

But as with all electronics, as soon as you add a few feet of distance to the screen you will quickly minimize the level of ELF radiation (we have an article here with more info about what ELF radiation is).

This is because the radiation levels are following what we call the inverse-square law. It states, that every time you double your distance to the source of the radiation (the TV in this case) you will lower the amount of radiation four times.

So we don’t have to be too concerned about the EMF levels coming from the electronics inside the TV and the screen itself. As long as we remember to not sit directly in front of the screen. We always need to add at least 4-5 feet distance to the screen (which shouldn’t be a problem as we have giant screens today).

RF radiation is radio frequency radiation which we typically find around routers, cellular signals, and Bluetooth technologies. If you want to know all the basics about this type of radiation we have written a good solid article here about RF radiation.

All smart TVs will constantly send out a signal in order to connect to a Wi-Fi router. It doesn’t matter whether it actually connects to the router or it is just looking for it. The radiation will be constant and you cannot turn this off (on any smart TVs we have seen, at least).

It would also send out a Bluetooth signal in order to connect to other wireless devices. This signal is also RF radiation even though it is typically a weaker signal than The Wi-Fi signal.

It’s important to keep your distance to smart TVs for this reason because it will emit radiation close to the same levels as a small router. That’s why we strongly advise you to get rid of the smart TV and use a dumb computer monitor instead.

It’s always better to get rid of any electronic device inside our homes that constantly emit RF radiation. The smart TV is definitely high up on this list.

Even though you keep your distance to the TV, you might still be exposed to the RF and Bluetooth radiation. If you have a device close to you which is connecting with the TV it will create a two-way communication line with the TV (and probably your router as well).

Plasma TVs are quickly being phased out of the market. All the biggest manufacturers have moved on from this technology several years ago. When you buy a flat screen today it’s most likely LED or OLED.

Personally, I’m a big fan of taking the matter into my own hands. I want the newest tech but I also want to keep myself and my family safe from EF and other types of radiation in my home. It’s simply stupid that you cannot turn off the Wi-Fi signal even when you’re inserting an ethernet cable.

The only other option you are left with is to get an EMF meter and make sure you do some readings on the TV before you buy it. You might be able to find a TV where you can switch off the RF radiation. But you shouldn’t take anybody’s word for it. Even though it says on the screen that you are switching off the wireless signal you might still find that it emits full speed.

The sales person at your local Best Buy store might not know anything about RF and Bluetooth radiation either. So don’t even bother asking. They will just give you a long speech on how this is not dangerous because they read an article over at Bloomberg or NYtimes.

The problems arise when we are dealing with smart TVs and other types of computer screens that connect wirelessly to other devices such as our router.

You might not be able to find a 50 or 60-inch computer monitor at the local store but you can find computer monitors up to 65” at best buy. Asus and Samsung also have some great widescreen and curved computer monitors that can just as easily be used as TVs.

This is definitely the easiest solution for you if you don’t want to open the TV and dismantle the Wi-Fi device as we showed in the video above. It can be dangerous to open TV screens and computer monitors and it’s definitely not something we advise you do unless you know what you do or can get help from an electrical engineer.

Be aware that the resolution on computer screens are often much higher than on TV screens. They were also many times be cheaper because people are willing to pay more for TVs than they will for computer monitors.

It’s impossible for us to list all the different types of TVs and how much EMF radiation they emit. There’s simply too many brands and models for us to cover them all.

I really like this EMF meter because it has a very user-friendly interface and is easy to use. On top of that, it’s pretty accurate and you can measure RF radiation (wifi, smartphones, laptops, Bluetooth, etc.) as well as magnetic and electric fields.

Some new generations of smart TVs will still emit RF radiation from the wifi and Bluetooth signals on standby mode. We also have electric fields as soon as the power cord is attached to the socket. When we disconnect the power cord we eliminate all radiation.

When the TV is turned off you will often have the wifi signal and the Bluetooth signal turned on as well. As long as the TV is set to standby mode. The only way to stop these signals is typically to pull out the power cord. As soon as you do that you won’t have any radiation from the Wi-Fi and the Bluetooth signals.

So, in order to eliminate the radiation altogether, you typically need to remove the power cord to the TV. As soon as you do that you will have removed all radiation.

The radiation from an infrared remote control is much less than the radiation from a remote control using radio frequencies. So you should always go for an infrared remote control whenever you have the option.

The same goes for the latest versions of Samsung’s TV sets. You cannot turn off the signal which is the big problem if you want to get rid of EMF radiation in your home. You might still be able to find earlier versions of Samsung TVs (used) where you can actually turn off the Wi-Fi signal as you plug in the ethernet cable instead.

You should also be aware that the gaming console itself (the main box) typically emit very strong RF radiation in all directions. The worst among the gaming consoles when it comes to EMF radiation is the Xbox. It sends out loads of EMFs even though it’s turned to sleep mode or standby. If you like your gaming consoles you should read our article here on EMF around the Xbox.

The last thing we have to look at and this article is in relation to the blue light from the screen. We get blue light from computer screens as well as TV screens, smartphones, tablets, and other devices with screens.

Many people even have a TV screen installed above their bed so they can fall asleep with the TV on. Even though that sounds like a very pleasant thing you need to pay attention to the blue light waves that come from the screen. You can overcome this problem in several ways:

Several TV screens will give you the option to change the lighting on the screen. You will probably find a setting where you can tone down the blue light in order to create a better viewing experience before bedtime.

They are developed by Daniel Debaun who also wrote the excellent book “Radiation Nation”. It’s a great book for anyone wants to get into EMFs and educate themselves a little bit more. You can get the book at Daniels store here.

Since computers began dominating home and work environments, health concerns have arisen about prolonged computer usage. In the late 1970s and 1980s, workplaces were more concerned with basic comfort and about the toll on people"s backs of sitting in front of a screen for hours; in the 1990s, people were concerned instead about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from extended keyboard use. Since the turn of the millenium, health advocates have become concerned with radiation from the electromagnetic fields generated by computer monitors.

All computers create -- and therefore emit -- electromagnetic fields (EMFs), which are a source of radiation, however minor. In the early days of home computers, most used cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitors. Bulky, boxy monitors once populated offices, though as of July 2011, most have been replaced by the slimmer, sleeker -- and healthier -- liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors. In addition, all laptops use LCD screens. LCDs are not EMF-free, but studies have shown they emit lower EMFs than CRT displays.

EMF radiation is present in all but a few specially-designed monitors, and the jury is still out on how harmful the levels of radiation from LCD screens might prove to human health. According to Safe Space Protection, "computers typically measure from two milligauss (mG) to five mG"; 2 mG and higher can potentially damage biological organisms. Despite this claim, the article "Harmful Electrostress from Computers/Laptops" doesn"t specify what kind of computers create this level of radiation, though the article does state that LCD screens and laptops are "much safer" than CRT monitors connected to desktop computers.

According to Danielle Barone, the family health editor for BellaOnline.org, even LCD monitors and laptops emit "enough radiation to affect your health and appearance." While the majority of computer users don"t seem troubled by this, some may wish to exercise a bit more caution. Barone suggests buying what"s called a radiation filter, which blocks between 94 percent and 99 percent of the radiation from your computer screen.

Ultra-health-conscientious computer users -- those who want to reduce their exposure to radiation at every possible turn -- can find and purchase 100 percent radiation-free LCD monitors. The website BlockEMF.com offers hundreds of EMF-preventing products, including four LCD monitors that the company guarantees to be completely free from radiation.

Since the advent of modern flat-panel screens, the vast majority of computer monitors have few, if any, radiation safety issues. The older technology used with vintage monitors, however, does have a potential for emitting certain types of harmful radiation, though manufacturers were aware of the risks and designed them to be safe. Overall, radiation safety issues from monitors are very minor and easily mitigated.

Monitor Types Computer monitors have used two basic types of technology: traditional cathode-ray tubes and more modern flat-screen designs. Before 2000, most computer equipment makers produced CRT-based monitors. These create images by sending a high-voltage beam of electrons in a vacuum tube to a phosphor screen, causing it to glow. The high voltage generates weak forms of radiation, a fact manufacturers have recognized since color TVs became widespread in the 1960s. Flat-screen monitors, by contrast, dispense with the CRT, creating images using a finely detailed grid of liquid crystals. Inside a flat-screen monitor, a bright lamp produces white light, which the liquid crystals filter into a broad range of colors. Although this technology uses low voltages, some of the lamps used produce mild radiation.

Radiation Types The radiation that comes from computer monitors takes the form of X-rays and ultraviolet light. This is not the same radiation normally associated with radioactive materials such as uranium, although it is associated with long-term exposure risks to living things. Of the two radiation types, X-rays are more harmful as they have more energy. Where monitor designs have the potential to produce X-rays or UV, the manufacturer adds materials that block the radiation, greatly reducing the safety issue.

X-Rays Traditional CRT-based monitors use high voltages that generate X-rays. The voltages used in black-and-white monitors is much lower than that found in color models, so X-rays are an issue only for the latter type. X-rays from a computer monitor are much weaker than those produced in a medical X-ray, as the operating voltage is lower and the radiation is a side effect, not the intended purpose of the design. CRT manufacturers solved the X-ray problem by adding lead to the glass picture-tube material.

Ultraviolet Although ultraviolet light is less harmful than X-rays, high levels of UV can burn skin and even cause blindness. Some flat-panel computer displays employ a fluorescent lamp as a bright light source. In the lamp, ultraviolet light strikes a white phosphor, creating visible light, but a small amount of the UV also escapes. In most LCD monitor designs, a layer of plastic absorbs the UV, minimizing the safety risk. Some flat-screen computer monitors use light-emitting diodes in place of fluorescent lighting, eliminating the UV problem completely.

Even the World Health Organization admits that EMF radiation at certain levels can trigger symptoms like headaches, stress, suicide by depression, vomiting, fatigue, and loss of libido.

Unlike the two products mentioned so far, this Screen Protector exclusively obstructs blue light. It’s not mean to attenuate radiation but to shield your eyes from the harmful effects of blue light.

Yes, but it’s mostly the old CRT monitors that are concerning. Newer LCD screens don’t emit as much. The more immediate threat stems from the blue light they emit.

It depends on your distance from the monitor. Inches away would give you 25-500 mG of EMF radiation, 1 foot emits 0.4-20 mG, while 3 feet emits just 0.1-1.5 mG of radiation.

Monitors emit such a low level of radiation that most agree it’s not a concern. However, even low levels over long periods of time have induced side effects like headaches and depression.

Older camera lenses: some camera lenses from the 1950s-1970s incorporated thorium into the glass, allowing for a high refractive index while maintaining a low dispersion. The health risk from using older camera lenses is low; the radiation received when using a thoriated lens camera is approximately equal to natural background.

Gas lantern mantles: older, and some imported, gas lantern mantles generate light by heating thorium (primarily thorium-232). Unless gas lantern mantels are used as the primary light source, radiation exposure from thorium lantern mantles is not considered to have significant health impacts.

Televisions and monitors: Flat-screen televisions and monitors (e.g., LCD, OLED, plasma) do not use cathode ray tubes (CRTs) and therefore do not produce ionizing radiation. Older televisions and computer monitors that contain CRTs may emit x-rays. X-ray emissions from CRT monitors are not recognized as a significant health risk.

Sun lamps and tanning salons: the ultraviolet rays from sun lamps and tanning salons are as damaging to skin as the ultraviolet rays of the sun. In fact, warning labels are required which begin "DANGER—Ultraviolet radiation". You can learn more about performance standards for these devices from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Glass: glassware, especially antique glassware with a yellow or greenish color, can contain easily detectable quantities of uranium. Such uranium-containing glass is often referred to as canary or vaseline glass. In part, collectors like uranium glass for the attractive glow that is produced when the glass is exposed to a black light. Even ordinary glass can contain high-enough levels of potassium-40 or thorium-232 to be detectable with a survey instrument. However, the radiation received when using glassware – even canary or vaseline glass – is unlikely to exceed background radiation levels.

EXIT signs: Some EXIT signs contain the radioactive gas called tritium, allowing them to glow in the dark without electricity or batteries. The tritium used in EXIT signs gives off low-level beta radiation, causing a light-emitting compound to glow. Tritium EXIT signs do not pose a direct health hazard, as the beta radiation can be stopped by a sheet of paper or clothing. However, tritium EXIT signs must not be disposed of in normal trash. For more information on tritium EXIT signs, see the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s page on tritium EXIT signs.

And aside from smart meters, computers, and cellphones, laptops belong to the group of devices that pose the highest risk of EMF radiation exposure because of how often they are used.

Before I get into the details of this article, I’d just want to give you a brief warning, this is going to be a comprehensive guide on radiation that laptops produce, so it’s going to be quite long.

So let’s get a little bit further in the aspect of electric field and magnetic field radiation then we will get into the details of the radio frequency or RF radiation.

Using a quality meter that measures EMF like the Trifield TF2, you’ll be able to see that many electronic devices actually emit a certain amount of magnetic field radiation.

That’s the reason why radiation from a device such as a laptop, for instance, should concern anyone especially because of its proximity to our body whenever we’re using it.

In the case of the magnetic fields, you should be able to notice that the EMF meter would read more radiation on the laptop monitor and from a certain portion of the base section.

A study published by the Long Island Power Authority has revealed the radiation that comes from a magnetic field emitted by different home appliances at various distances.

These findings alone should tell you that laptops really emit magnetic field radiations that are concerning, to say the least because of the really small safety margins.

Another source of the magnetic field and EMF radiations in a laptop are all the electronic stuff that is found on the device’s body especially the power inverter and the motherboard.

WiFi Radiation coming from the wireless card is going to emit a particular level of RF radiation especially when the laptop gets connected to the WiFi.

To give you an idea of how much RF radiation a laptop emits, I tested a 2016 model of a MacBook Pro which has a 15″ screen size and I tested it to see the radiation levels.

So the peak number on the EMF meter (in case it has one) will actually give a more accurate reading of the radiation and that is exactly how I obtained the results that are listed above.

The readings also show that as you gain distance from your laptop, radiation exposure also decreases dramatically. But this can be a tough thing to do.

Whether there are currently any Bluetooth devices that are connected to your laptop or not, it will still give off some Radio Frequency (RF) radiation as it looks for devices to connect to.

Now that we’ve already talked about the different sources of EMF radiation on laptops, it is time to talk about the dangers and risks that it poses to users.

However, there’s even more concern that others consider crucial and it is on the effect of the EMF radiation at extremely close proximity especially when a laptop is used on the lap.

Another study that has been performed on radiation from cellphones produced similar EMF radiation amounts to that when you’re using your laptop on your lap.

This decrease in different parameters was dependent on how long the person is exposed to the radiation and was independent of the initial quality of the semen.

In 2013, a study that has been published in the Journal of Fertilization by Duke University has demonstrated the relationship between the exposure to computer and cellphone radiation to the increased chance of miscarriage.

It is therefore important to avoid placing a laptop on your belly when using it or using any other device that emits EMF radiation while you are pregnant.

But the main concern here is the damage that EMF radiation can inflict especially when it is at its cumulative form so you should do all your best to reduce your exposure to it.

Put in mind that the damage which laptop radiation can inflict through its EMF emission is cumulative by nature. The lesser amount of time that you are exposed to it, the lower the danger you’ll encounter.

The effects of prolonged exposure won’t show immediately unless you are “electro-hypertensive” – those people who immediately feel the symptoms that occur physically due to exposure to EMF radiation.

There are people who consider exposure to EMF radiation as a very bad thing as they expect immediate effects but it’s important to remember that most of us are going to be exposed to some form of EMF radiation most of the time.

We can still enjoy using it but if you want to be on the safe side and feel better all the time, lowering exposure to the radiation that it emits is the best thing to do!

There are plenty of radiation shields and cases for laptops out there but there’s one particular brand that I like most which I will tell more about as we move along in this point.

Radiation shields for laptops work perfectly when you’re using it while sitting on the couch or if you’re fond of putting it on your belly or lap but you should also use it even when you’re on your machine while sitting in your office table or desk.

Most desks are not made to block radiation so don’t ever think that you’re already protected against radiation just because your laptop is a few inches away from your lap and is sitting on the desk.

Doing this effectively lowers your exposure to EMF radiation which your laptop emits because of the fact that it eliminates your exposure to Radio Frequency radiation.

These are only a few of the ideas that you can adapt and there are still more that you can do. Just remember that the goal is really to lower your exposure to EMF radiation.

That doesn’t mean that you shut your life off from using these devices, instead, you just need to make sure that you’re finding ways to moderate exposure to the radiation that they produce.

I do hope that this guide provided some helpful tips and bits of information to help you combat radiation and if you loved it, please consider sharing it with the people whom you care the most!

No, but their older counterparts, Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors, do give off a small amount of radiation. The streams of electrons hitting the phosphor in the screen produce X-rays, but these are way below harmful levels.