THEY are supposed to brighten our lives more efficiently - but for one Peeblesshire mother they are simply a massive headache.

West Linton resident Ruth Doherty suffers migraine whenever she catches sight of an energy-saving LED light.

And she has warned that she will have to move to the country to escape the effects of them when they are installed in her village.

“I have had a decade of problems - I do really struggle with the LED lights,” said the 47-year-old atmospheric scientist at Edinburgh University.

“They’re meant to be good for the environment and it’s ironic really as I’ve spent my career working in that area.

“They have a very intense blue/white light. I find them instantly painful and it makes me nauseous.

“When I was in a supermarket recently I could not stay as they had LED lighting. I also have a problem with fluorescent lighting but it’s not as bad and I was able to stay for an hour in a supermarket that had that.

“I did get some special yellow glasses from the optician’s but they did not seem to help.” Dr Doherty, who is married with a son and daughter, added: “Fortunately this is not something that affects anyone else in my family.” Scottish Borders Council insists the LED (light-emitting diode) lanterns do not pose a health risk and is embarking on a programme to install them in around three-quarters of its street lights. It is not known when, or if, the work is planned for West Linton.

Many councils across the UK have embraced LED lighting despite complaints from residents that the brightness makes it difficult to sleep, Dr Doherty said: “I’m just hoping they will decide that West Linton is a conservation village and that it doesn’t need LED lighting all round. There are a few LED lights in West Linton at the moment but fortunately there are none in the street where we live.” Tweeddale West councillor Willie Archibald, who represents West Linton, said: “There is a scheduled roll out across the Borders but I can’t give a time frame as to when it will happen in West Linton.

“I am old enough to remember when we had the sodium lights. These new ones are so much better and it’s unlikely there is going to be a change in council policy.

“I haven’t heard of any problems myself about them and if there were any serious health implications the council wouldn’t be using them.” On its website Migraine Action lists bright light and flickering/flashing lights as migraine triggers.

Rebekah Aitchison, a spokeswoman for the charity, said: “From our understanding the blue aspect of LEDs can be the most toxic to some individuals.

“The whitish-blue colour of fluorescent light is problematic for migraineurs, and as the vast majority of LEDs use a blue LED coated in a phosphor material to generate the white light, this would make a logical conclusion.

“Unfortunately studies are limited and there needs to be much more research on this. Ruth’s case is quite rare but we don’t know how many people are out there suffering without realising the reason.

“Sadly we are up against the big guns such as Greenpeace who are wanting these energy-saving lights and until there is an outcry I don’t think much more will be done.” Around 13,500 of Scottish Borders Council lights - out of a total of about 19,000 - are being fitted with the energy-saving lanterns. It is expected to save the council about £100,000 per year in energy costs and around £20m over the 20-year life of the lights.

A spokesman for Scottish Borders Council said: “We don’t believe there are any major health issues associated to LED lighting and the benefits of the scheme to the region are huge.

“I also don’t believe we have had any complaints.”