Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsI'm glad I bought this
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2010
Well, there are a TON of these light boxes available. With prices ranging from $20 to three digit territory, I was more than skeptical. Is this thing just an excuse to sell funny light bulbs? I did some research comparing the various ones that seemed legit, and this Day-Light one came up several times. It has the right lumens, a lens to protect you from UV, looks to be sturdy, and the reviews were good. But... anyone can make a site/product look good on the web. Wanting to see the lamp in person, I went to the local medical supply place. They had the 'Classic' model instead of this lamp one, but I turned it on and knew in an instant it was a quality lamp. There is no flickering or glare of any kind, just 'warm' light. You wouldn't want to stare at it, but it's not as though you're looking at the sun. I've used it for the recommended time which is 20-30 mins, and it has certainly done something. I don't think it's changed my life or anything, but it has made me feel a bit more 'up'.
I opted for the lamp version because I wanted it on my desk, and the panel version isn't really designed for a desk. The base is heavy which makes it quite sturdy. The 'light box' part of this lamp is about 10"x13", the height is about 24" at almost full stretch (you can adjust the height and angle). When you are doing your session it says you should have this at a 15 degree angle. Then you can bend the neck down to make this an incredible task lamp. Nice white light to work with, no glare. Good for craft/detail oriented work. The brochure states that you shouldn't use this lamp after 8pm as it will wake you up too close to bedtime. After all, a big part of light therapy is to regulate your sleep cycle.
This brand is recommended by the Center of Environmental Therapeutics and they seem to be legit. They have a site if you wanna check it out.
The site, and the brochure, and anyone who knows anything will tell you that a light box isn't guaranteed to work for everyone. They also tell you - AND THIS IS IMPORTANT - light boxes are not regulated by the FDA and ARE NOT considered medical devices. This means that anyone can slap a funny light bulb in there and claim it will help you. There was some talk a while back that tanning beds were good for you because it helped you to get more sun. VERY untrue since they still expose you to UV rays which are harmful. Some of these lamps might be on the up and up, but some are definitely scams. Do your homework, ask a doctor/shrink, ask someone who uses a light box - this is a serious chunk of change to drop on a lamp.
I went into this with the view that at worst I'd get a really bright lamp. I'm not saying this is some kind of miracle worker, but I live in Maine where it's dark at 4pm in the wintertime. It's dreary and depressing, and I've always felt that way. I'm hoping this will alleviate some of the 'blahs'.
PS - In the reviews for the Classic one (more people opt for that one) there were a few people who griped that it stunk up the house. They might've missed the instructions telling you that packing stuff must be removed from INSIDE the light. There's some rubber things inside to prevent the bulbs from getting knocked loose during shipping, along with a couple rubber bands in there too. You have to remove them before you use the lamp! It comes with a little screwdriver, and you have to take off the lens(cover) to get the packing materials out of there. There were some rubber things jammed in so the bulb wouldn't wiggle around, and they were REALLY hard to get out. I had to use pliers. Gotta be careful not to break the bulb! The bulb itself is supposed to be replaced every 2 years even if it isn't burnt out. After that time they claim it will lose some of its lumens and not be as effective.
update 2011.12.18 - My light's still going strong! Definitely helpful in the morning. I just turn it on while I'm getting ready, checking my email, etc. I'm very pleased that my light is still serving me well :)
Again, I want to stress to people that you should do a little research. Someone made a comment about UV rays, suggesting that light boxes are part of pseudo-science and UV rays are helpful.
This is from the CDC (centers for disease control) web site:
Ultraviolet (UV) rays are an invisible kind of radiation that comes from the sun, tanning beds, and sunlamps. UV rays can penetrate and change skin cells.
The three types of UV rays are ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB), and ultraviolet C (UVC)--
UVA is the most common kind of sunlight at the earth's surface, and reaches beyond the top layer of human skin. Scientists believe that UVA rays can damage connective tissue and increase a person's risk of skin cancer.
Most UVB rays are absorbed by the ozone layer, so they are less common at the earth's surface than UVA rays. UVB rays don't reach as far into the skin as UVA rays, but they can still be damaging.
UVC rays are very dangerous, but they are absorbed by the ozone layer and do not reach the ground.
Too much exposure to UV rays can change skin texture, cause the skin to age prematurely, and can lead to skin cancer. UV rays also have been linked to eye conditions such as cataracts.
I'm gonna take the CDC's word on the harmfulness of ALL UV rays. Lack of sun exposure does lead to Vitamin D deficiency, but you can take a daily vitamin to get it that way.
update 2012.05.16 - Replacement bulbs! Not as easy as you'd think. In the manual for the light, it says that the bulbs are '2 x 55 watt compact flourescent, 4000 kelvin'. If you do a search for Uplift Technologies Day-Light Sky replacement bulb, you will get a couple of options. There is a 3 pack, which seems to be a good idea HOWEVER, the 3 pack bulbs are 36 watts, not 55. The single replacement bulb IS 55 watts. If you use the lower wattage, I don't think the light will be as effective, so I'm gonna get 2 of the single ones (the light has 2 bulbs inside).
Update 2013.03.04 - Light bulb confusion solved!
A representative from Carex/Uplift Technologies contacted me within 24 hours (awesome customer service!) with a response about which bulbs to use with the Day-Light sky and how they work:
This is the correct bulb for the Day-Light Sky, DLA2000BLB.
There is a difference between "Kelvin" and "Lumens or Lux". Kelvin Color Temperature has more to do with the color of the light, whether it be warm (yellowish) or cool (blue). The Day-Light is 4,000 K which is almost in the middle of the spectrum, more towards warm.
The light emitted from the Day-Light is measured in Lux, this is a measurement of the intensity of the light coming from the lamp. 10,000 lux is recommended, you will achieve this with the Day-Light Sky if you are approx 12 inches from the light at the right angle. The farther you move away from the lamp, the lower the lux. Also, if you use it on the lower setting, the intensity will diminish to 6,500 lux which is still therapeutic, you would just need to use the lamp longer than the recommended 20-30 minutes.
Update 2014.01.22 - Rubber band confusion solved!
In the comments, a wise man :D pointed out that there is nothing in the instructions telling you that you MUST remove the rubber bands/packing materials before first use. It also tells you that there will be a smell for the first few hours of use. This makes sense for anything plastic. The funny smell is called 'offgassing'.
I removed the bands/packing materials because I figured that the smell people had complained about came from that. Makes sense, they are rubber and rubber can be stinky. I emailed the trusty Carex/Uplift technology people for an answer on Sat. I got my answer on Tues because it was a holiday - this proves to me that their excellent customer service is not a fluke, they are a genuinely caring and attentive company.
The email info:
The rubber bands and black inserts are only there to secure the bulbs during shipment. Both can be left in until the bulbs need to be replaced, as the black inserts will not have much heat applied to them. As for the rubber bands, they will dry out and often simply fall off after a couple of hours of use. They may emit some odor during the first hour or two of use, but this is negligible for most people and it soon dissipates.
If someone is highly sensitive or concerned about any odor, they could remove the rubber bands before use. However, even if the rubber bands and black inserts are removed, like most new electrical appliances, there may still be an odor for the first hour or two of use.
