Can an LCD TV Be Bad for Your Health?

Your mom may have told you that television "rots your brain," but you may have wondered if that brand new liquid crystal display (LCD) television might actually be harmful to you. In some cases, an LCD television or computer monitor might actually be better for you than your old picture tube television.

Television Radiation

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), most television sets have not been found to give off any measurable level of radiation, nor is there any evidence that radiation from television sets have harmed humans. Still, the FDA has set standards for the amount of radiation that televisions and other electrical devices can emit.

LCD vs. CRT

LCD televisions give off a small amount of radiation, but it is much less than older televisions and computer monitors. That's because those devices contain cathode ray tubes (CRTs), while LCD and plasma screen televisions do not. CRTs can give off x-rays, but since the creation of federal performance standards in the 1960s, those devices no longer pose a risk of emitting excessive x-radiation. According to the FDA, LCD televisions are not capable of emitting x-radiation and "do not pose a public health hazard."

Eye Health

LCD televisions and computer monitors are easier on the eyes than televisions that contain CRTs. LCD televisions refresh a pixel at a time instead of an entire line, which can cause flickering in a CRT television and cause more eyestrain.

References

• Food and Drug Administration: We Want You to Know About Television Radiation
• Staples: Frequently Asked Questions About LCD Monitors
• EMT Watch: Appliance Radiation/TV Radiation