Do you have experience blinding yourself with a 500 lumen light? I certainly have, but only when I'm trying to do some administrative task or something like looking into a small hole in the wall. My light is 900 lumens.
Yes. Maybe I have senisitve night vision, but I have zinged myself with reflected high lumen lights to the point that my response effectiveness would have been compromised. My EDC lights are generally 50 - 100 lumens.