Other self-defense instruments, such as pepper sprays or electroshock weapons, seem intimidating. On the contrary, using a flashlight to blind attackers is easier and safer, making it a preferred option to most.
The important thing to know is, how many lumens can blind an attacker?
At least 100 lumens of light can cause distress to the human eye for a few minutes, and 300 lumens give you enough time to run away, as it causes temporary flash blindness to the attacker.
With the attention on these blinding tactical flashlights, here is an all-you-need-to-know guide about them.
Table of Contents
How Many Lumens Can Blind Someone
Lumens are the measure of how bright a source of visible light is to the human eye. It is correct to assume that the higher the lumen rating, the more eye damage is inflicted on the person exposed to the light source.
Therefore, a flashlight for self-defense must inflict the right amount of lumens, which is at least 100 lumens of light, to cause some considerable distress to the exposed eye.
However, the self defense flashlight lumens are not the only factor that determines the blinding capacity of the flashlight. There are more factors playing into this equation than you think.
These factors include the time of day and the measure of the space.
Factor 1: The Time of the Day
100 lumens can temporarily blind someone when used in a really dark area and upon closer proximity to the attacker. However, in daylight or well-lit places, this amount can only be distracting, at best.
300 lumens for self-defense flashlight is ideal when purchasing a disorienting flashlight for personal everyday carry. It is enough to do the job of disorienting an attacker and buying yourself time to escape or ask for help, even when used in naturally lit places.
Flashlights with higher lumen ratings are the most reliable when used in semi-lit areas. These are commonly manufactured for professional use, such as in law enforcement and military combat.
Police flashlights have between 800 to 1200 lumens, while 2000 lumens and higher is common for tactical flashlights usually used by Navy Seals. There are even more powerful torches sold and marketed to have a max output of 100,000 lumens, but this much wouldn’t be needed if intended for personal self-defense only.
Factor 2: The Measure of the Space
The higher the lumens rating, the brighter and more capable it is of covering a wider space. In small enclosed spaces, 300 lumens can be considered reliable for self-defense especially when able to flash directly to the attacker.
In wide and open spaces, however, at least 800 lumens would be considered enough to blind a person temporarily.
For a 250-square feet enclosed room, 5000 lumens of light is ideal, any bigger than that will require a flashlight with a higher lumen capacity.
For the use of wilderness campers, the 800 to 2000 lumens are said to also be enough to temporarily blind a bear.
Experts, however, discourage using flashlights as bear deterrents, which can agitate them further and cause them to act more violently. Bears also have a heightened sense of smell and can, therefore, still go after their target despite flash blindness.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lumens will damage the eye?
A high level of brightness can damage the eye, but more than just the lumens, length of exposure, frequency of exposure, and proximity to the light source also count as decisive factors when considering eye damage.
As mentioned earlier, a direct and close flash of 300 lumens can cause temporary or flash blindness.
Is 1000 lumens too bright for home defense?
No, 1000-lumen flashlights are not too bright for home defense. While they are brighter than the regular household flashlight, which is at 30 to 60 lumens, it is not considered illegal for regular citizens to be in possession of such self-defense items at home.
If intentionally owned for self-defense, owning such devices won’t cause any problems. However, you might want to avoid using them for purposes such as fixing the sink or searching the basement in order to avoid the risk of accidentally flashing them in the eyes of family members.
When keeping a tactical flashlight at home, also make sure to keep them beyond the reach of children.
Is 300 lumens good for self-defense?
Yes, 300 lumens is ideal for everyday carry self-defense devices. Bringing a flashlight of higher lumen measure for everyday carry may pose more risk as there is a higher chance of accidental eye flashing that may cause harm to others.
How many lumens will permanently blind you?
For bright light to cause permanent blindness, it would have to be of extreme intensity and lengthy duration such as that of close exposure to a nuclear explosion.
Furthermore, exposing to10,000-lumen light can result in permanent damage to the eyes. Such a powerful light source can result in blindness to the victim.
How many lumens is the sun?
The sun produces around 127,000 lumens of visible light for every square meter of the earth’s orbit, totalling to 35,730,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 lumens.
Aside from visible light, the sun also produces many other electromagnetic energy such as infrared, microwave, x-ray, and more.
Conclusion
With better knowledge of how many lumens can blind an attacker, how much brightness can damage the eyes, and other information on tactical flashlights, are you now thinking of owning one?
If the thought of self-defense devices intimidates you, then tactical flashlights may just be your best bet for you. After all, it is always a good idea to own at least one self-defense device because as the old saying goes, you’re better off safe than sorry.
John Cotton is Safecallnow’s copywriter. He is an authority on research and reviews. He is responsible for locating information and guidance on riot and disturbance control equipment, training equipment, correctional products, watch house products, tactical equipment, government regulation information, and more. His work guarantees a high level of proficiency and authority.