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This is an important question and the phenomenon is known as photosensitive epilepsy.
If the subject is being hostile, then any number of less lethal alternatives can be selected to handle them. All have downstream consequences if deployed at the inappropriate time or manner. The use of light is clearly at low end of any disruption protocol.
A certain percentage of the population can experience extreme reactions to strobing light; be prepared for severe disorientation and even seizures in some individuals.
Some Background:
Contrary to popular belief, only a small percentage of people with epilepsy are especially sensitive to flickering light patterns, such as sunlight, strobe lights or computer screen flicker. This condition is known as photosensitive epilepsy. A flickering fluorescent light, the flicker of sunlight while driving past standing trees or on water and other reflective surfaces, certain video games, or flashing strobe lights can trigger seizures in photosensitive people.
(SOURCE: Epilepsy Foundation 4351 Garden City Drive Landover, MD 20785-7223
www.epilepsyfoundation.org)
Given 2.5 million Americans have some form of epilepsy
- 5% of epileptics are subject to the phenomena of Photosensitive epilepsy (125,000)
- Most of these 125K fall into the age range of 8-20 years - This eliminates many of the potential encounters
- Most of these are the female - This further reduces the population base
- The phenomenon is strobe rate specific, color frequency specific, as well as field of view specific and other factors play into it - This further reduces the probability of an episode.
- The Gladius Flashlight is strobing at a rate below the optimal range of 15-20 for this phenomena although other sources indicate lower rates can trigger this response - This further reduces the probability of an event. The probably of it happening are much higher from the same subject watching T.V. or playing video games. Natural light sources are just as likely to trigger seizures in a photosensitive individual as artificial ones. For example, sunlight shining off water or through the leaves of trees, or rapidly flickering as a person travels past railings, can trigger seizures.
See:
http://www.nfld.net/epilepsy/laephotosensitive.html#whatisphoto
Should something occur, recommended procedures include but are not limited to:
Stay calm. Help, but don't force, the person to lie down on his or her side, preferably on a soft surface, and place something soft under the person's head. Take the person's glasses or backpack off and loosen any tight clothing near the neck. Don't restrain or hold the person.
Do not put your fingers in the mouth or worry about the tongue.
Move objects, especially sharp or hard ones, away from the person. Stay with the person or make sure another friend or trusted person stays with him or her. Talk with the person in a calm, reassuring way after the seizure is over. Observe the event and be able to describe what happened before, during, and after the seizure.
When the shaking stops put them in the "recovery" position (laying on left side); Reassure and expect them to be very confused, they will likely have been incontinent of at least urine, they may have vomited.
They may be paralyzed on one side of the body - this usually resolves (Called Todd's paralysis) but beware the first thing that happened to them is they dropped completely unprotected to the ground and could have head injuries or could have neck injuries.
Bring up a tactical medic or tactical physician, or call an EMS unit by dialing 911 in most areas.
Do flashing lights at a certain frequency really mess up the eyes? Or should I just rely on the sudden blast of raw incandessant light that the surefire provides?
