Epilepsie and lights

I am going an event next weekend and was told one of the guests is epileptic. I know that strobes are a "no no" and will set off seizures, but do I need to be concerned with other lights as well? Thanks in advance for your help.

I do not run strobes at all for this reason, however I was plannig on running my lights as normal, but not doing alot of on and off effects.

I can't help you, but also let me give you a warning. We just ran a news story this past week about epileptics who go into siezures when they hear certain beats in songs. The 2 songs they mentioned were Temperature, by Sean Paul, and Beautiful Girls by Sean Kingston.

We had an actual interview with the girl who had the seizure.

See if you can talk to the individual or the parents to see what their triggers actually might be. Spin & Pukes can be as offensive as strobes as it is often the fast movement that is the trigger more-so than just the strobing. Meaning a mess of fast moving beams may do the same. You may need to tame down your light show programming, or you may just have to lay off strobes. I was at an event once where an individual asked us to limit the use of strobes and if possible warn her before using them and she would leave the room [gladly]. Talking does a world of good...

Yes! Find out what triggers it. I did a party a few months back and I could not use any lights with red in it.

Wow really could change the mood of the event.

It varies as I understand. Differing factors like color, intensity and speed (frequency) of flashes are important considerations.

Again, as I understand, the lighting flashes that may aggravate a seizure are eye-contact in nature. If your effects are aimed at the floor or ceiling, there is less of a chance of direct eye contact.

Non-directional lighting effects like Sunrays can't be aimed nor directed. I would avoid these types of effects when you are aware of a guest in the house who may be subject to epileptic seizures.

That said, you may not have to nix lighting at this show altogether. Directional effects like PARs and moonflowers that do not flash in the eyes of your audience may be acceptible.

Thoughts?

What Wolfy just said......about eye contact....COMMON SENSE stuff!!!

I only would worry about STROBES....because its the rapid pulsation that would trigger those seizure-inducing brain waves. Even indirect exposure would be a problem.

Not sure on the answer for epilepsy, but we do a donated dance for UCP (United Cerebral Palsy) every year at their summer camp and the only lights we can use are our pars and they are left on and never flashed.

Use slow moving fixtures. Anything that flashes can set it off. I had event like this at a school.

If the customer is asking you to tone it down due to one attendee, I guess I can understand doing so. On the other hand, if one person shows up knowing they are sensitive to lights, then, why are they coming?

In order to compensate for this one attendee, the customer should probably request NO lighting at all... why take a chance? Based on all of the comments listed above, why would such a person want to attend a function with lighting that might result in a tragedy?

These folks know who they are, and how lighting affects them. Analogy: I'm sensitive to smoke, and yet I go into a smokey bar... my bad, why should everyone put out their smokes just because of me?

I'd make a "disclaimer statement" before your show that "the use of strobes and flashing lights will be in use" (you know, sorta like McDonald's telling you the coffee is hot).

Tyrone I strongly agree with you on that statement! I try to remember we are in a service and entertainment oriented business, for DJ gigs you have to compromise a little... For bigger productions, albeit big time rockbands, if someone came up to me and asked me no strobe (other than the promoter) I would gladly show the person the door.

The actual math behind the amount of those affected is rare... IE roughly 5% of epileptics are actually sensitive to light, out of the what 1% of Diagnosed. 5% of 1% is what .05 % Regardless, I don't think this is a big worry, lots of insurance rides on productions, and the amount of production companies using serious strobes has not DECREASED. One may say I am comparing apples to oranges, and they may be right. I'm pointing out how one industry gets away with it, and the other (us dj's) get flack about it.

A good friend of mines brother is a severe epileptic on a good day he takes two to three seizures that seem to come out of no where and he's on medication. As I understand it there are different types of seizures along with different severities. With my friend sometimes you don't even know he's having a seizure until you try talking to him and he cannot talk back. From what he tells me any kind of blue light flashing sets him off yet he can stare at a strobe light all day and not be affected by it he used to visit me at my bar gig.

I've seen someone take a grand mal seizure and it's very scary. While I agree with Larry (Tyrone) I'd err on the side of caution and forgo the lights. Explain to that client that you would rather not add to the possibility that this guest may take a seizure.

I've seen someone take a grand mal seizure and it's very scary. While I agree with Larry (Tyrone) I'd err on the side of caution and forgo the lights. Explain to that client that you would rather not add to the possibility that this guest may take a seizure.

And then upsell it as your "Epilepsy Protection Package".... :sqerr:



I kid, I kid!

Sub in the Bubbles?


Cleanup Clause with Venue? Anyone, Anyone?

we have to adjust thats the game if someone is allergic to Peanut oil or is a vegetarian we must adjust its the way of the world today. If one is ssensitive to neon lights. Polyester napkins. Whole Milk or Low fat. Flexibility is the key in this modern world.

If I was hired for a "sound and light show", and show up and am asked not to use lights by the customer... fine. If the customer is aware of a patron with a "condition" and asks me not to use lights after I've already set up... fine.

If a patron knows they have a condition and show up at a sound and light event... what am I supposed to do? As far as I'm concerned, it's up to the paying customer to make the call.

Tyrone, the reality is that although you can defer blame to the paying customer with today's sue happy culture you can be named a plaintiff. Promoters are required to have liability insurance to pull off a big time event... This one company I am subcontracted work for has a bad "a" insurance policy, every event the insurance company will send down an independent safety analyst. He will find weak points in anything from unsafe rigging to untapped cables which can cause trip hazards. You cannot stop accidents from happening but you can do your best to prevent them before they happen. A church I work in on Sunday morning (try getting up at 7 to make a service when you DJ'd *cough* partied *cough* the night before... Tough!!! Anyways, the church has screens which are controlled by an electric winch. The organist sits directly below them without a care. It is the only thing that doesn't make me feel to good. One thing you learn in rigging (although this is rigging on the small scale) is NEVER stand under a load while it is moving. I know I got off on a tangent; however, to sum it up... BE CAREFUL, BE SMART, BE SAFE!

I am trying to get ahold of the commander this week. I do not have DMX lighting, but can difuse it towards the ceiling and very directly down to the floor. But I am becoming concerned with running lights at all now that I am aware of this issue.