Various lighting methods are used to light surfaces from the opposite side from which they are normally viewed. For various reasons, light emitting diode (LED) devices are being used more frequently, and this includes backlit light transmissive surfaces such as illuminated signage, point of purchase displays for retailers, flat or shallow panel illumination fixtures, decorative lighting applications, and the like. Size or space limitations of the fixture assembly may limit the distance between the backlit surface and a rear surface upon which an LED device is mounted. These shallow applications require the LED device to distribute emitted light at wide angles in order to illuminate the entire backlit surface within the shallow distance. Without the use of wide viewing angle lenses, bright illumination levels on the backlit surface can create “hot spots” of non-uniform light intensity that are apparent to a viewer. Lenses are used to effect this wide angle control of the light emission. The use of only wide angle lenses with the LED devices, however, can result in some dimmer areas on the backlit surface located closest to the lens called “donut holes” because a significant portion of the light emitted is being diverted to the sides of the LED at larger angles to the illuminated portion of the backlit surface. As a result, improvements are desired for LED lighting in shallow backlit surface applications.