Preface: Concern for Safety

I wanted to say something to anybody that has a camera. I could have said it in my journal, but it really needs to be said to where everybody can read. It’s a safety concern that I want to bring to light to anybody that owns a camera, point & shoot or otherwise.

The Setup

You’re sitting in a nice restaurant, having a good time, when all of a sudden a flash from a camera goes off. It’s blinding, and sometimes quite annoying. But for those that suffer from serious debilitating medical problems, the flash from a camera can send them into a state of shock, vomiting, narcosis, and finally passing out.

It’s Personal

My husband is one of these people. He deals with Permanent Post Concussion Syndrome, [link] that literally leaves him pretty much incapacitated when a flash of a camera goes off, or the honk of a horn if he’s standing in front of a car. The first flash stuns him, and he goes into a state of narcosis, if a second flash goes off, he will pass out. The more we eat out, the more frequently it happens, and I just don’t understand why people can’t think about those around them before themselves. Granted, most people don’t know about such problems like PCS or even Epilepsy, so this is why I want to spread the word about it.

The Solution

What can we do about this? Maybe for starters, spread the word to your family and friends. Next time you go out for dinner and your mom wants a group shot, say “Mom, people have medical problems and the flash on the camera can disrupt them and even hurt them.” Or if you’re already in a restaurant and you see somebody about to take a photo, warn him or her that a flash from a camera might just send somebody to the hospital. I beg of you, think of others before yourself. Sure getting a birthday shot at a restaurant is great, but eating at a restaurant when you suffer from this, that flash could ruin your day.

If just one person could spread the word and stop this, me and my husband’s dinners would be a whole lot more peaceful.

Thank you,
Lumi-Nara