UVA/UVB for beardies

I've seen some discussion on the web about certain brands of UVA UVB lights being dangerous (causing eye problems in bearded dragons). I am in the process of setting up an enclosure for one.

I've read that the Reptisun brand is ok but Reptiglo is not.

The information I found seemed to be a few years old though.

So is this still the case with these brands? Safe or not safe?

Are the lights that are available now all ok or are there still some I should steer clear of?

And also that they should be changed every 6 - 12 months due to losing their UV effect. This I did not know :/

Hi, both brands are used globally without any eye issues. If anything the Exo Terra product is "weaker" so wont be an issue. Both products will give the result you want when used in accordance with the manufacturer recommendations in relation to distance from the animal to the light source. The advantage of the ZooMed lighting is that is will give out a more constant and usable amount of UVB over a longer period. The Exo Terra should be replaced every 8-12 months, the Zoomed can go 16 months or more. I use the ZooMed HO T5s over beardys. The T5s are a great option if you have a tall enclosure as the UVB travels much further.
Some cheaper Chinese maybe UVB sources either give off too much UVB or can fall below usable levels in as little as 3 months. If you end up with a few enclosures a UVB meter is a wise investment.

UV meter is expensive but worth the price if you have a few enclosures,I have 1 but I have several enclosures and check them constantly and it is amazing how often they change

Thanks! The enclosure is about 900 long and 700 high. It was suggested that I use a 2ft UV tube rather than the coil type globes as the UVA/B will be better distributed. I might look into the ZooMed ones then.

I've pretty much just got to sort out the UV set up and I'm ready to go!