A lighting device which outputs a current to a solid-state light emitting element includes: a direct current-to-direct current (DC-to-DC) converter; and an output detector which detects an output from the DC-to-DC converter, wherein the DC-to-DC converter includes: a switching element; a control device which controls the switching element in order to generate the output; and a current detector which detects a current which flows through the switching element, and if a current value of the current detected by the current detector is less than a predetermined threshold, the control device controls the switching element according to a duty cycle determined based on an output value of the output detected by the output detector, and if the current value is greater than the predetermined threshold, the control device controls the switching element according to a duty cycle lower than the duty cycle determined based on the output value.