Optician India

Blue light is a portion of the visible light spectrum, with wavelengths ranging from approximately 380 to 500 nanometers. It is part of the electromagnetic spectrum that can be seen by the human eye and has the shortest wavelengths and highest energy among visible light.

Sources of blue Light:

Natural Sources: The sun is the primary source of blue light. 

Artificial sources: Common artificial sources include digital screens (computers, smartphones, and tablets), LED lighting, and fluorescent lighting. These sources can emit significant amounts of blue light, especially when used for prolonged periods.

How blue light affect our eyes?

We spend a significant amount of time using digital devices with light-emitting screens. The light emitted from digital devices, such as smartphones and tablets, peaks in the blue range of the visible spectrum, characterized by higher photon energy. This high-energy blue light can penetrate deeply into the eye, potentially leading to retinal damage. 

Prolonged exposure can disrupt circadian rhythms by suppressing melatonin production, causing sleep disturbances. Additionally, it contributes to digital eye strain, manifesting as dry eyes, headaches, and blurred vision. 

Eye health:

Digital Eye Strain: Prolonged exposure to blue light from screens can contribute to digital eye strain, characterized by symptoms like dryness, irritation, and fatigue.

Potential Long Term Effects: research is ongoing into whether long-term exposure to blue light can contribute to retinal damage and increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), although conclusive evidence is still needed.

Will the Blue Light Lenses give Protection?

The blue-filtering lenses modestly filter high energy, short-wavelength light and do not markedly degrade visual performance. More than one-third of wearers found that a clear lens with blue-filtering coating provided better anti-glare performance and improved their vision for computer and mobile digital screens. This type of blue-light filter could serve as a supplementary option for protecting the eye from potentially harmful blue light. 

Children are particularly vulnerable due to their developing eyes and extended screen time. To mitigate these risks, using blue light filters, adjusting device settings to reduce blue light emission, and practicing good screen habits, such as limiting usage before bedtime and taking regular breaks, are recommended.

What are the benefits of using blue light protection?

 As we all know we are more exposed to excessive blue light, by wearing blue light protection we can get many benefits:

Helps lowering the risk of eye disease:

Too much exposure to blue light can increase your risk of developing eye diseases such as cataracts, as blue light can penetrate through the cornea and reach the retina. While your cornea and eye lens can block harmful UV light, they cannot block blue light effectively. Wearing blue light glasses can reduce the detrimental effects of constant blue light exposure, thereby lowering the risk of developing eye diseases.

Blue-light glasses can help ease digital eye strain by filtering blue light and increasing contrast, making it easier to focus and reducing eye strain. Using computer protective glasses with yellow lenses can be particularly beneficial for extended screen time. However, since various factors can contribute to eye strain, it is always advisable to seek medical or optical advice when experiencing persistent issues.

Help prevent from dryness:

Nevertheless dry eyes may seem like a small issue, they can be very distracting when trying to concentrate or driving after a few hours of online gaming or working. Dryness may also cause you to rub your eyes excessively, leading to soreness and discomfort. Wearing blue light glasses can make your screen time more comfortable by blocking blue light and helping to prevent your eyes from drying out. Additionally, these glasses reduce digital eye strain, improve visual comfort, and make it easier to focus during prolonged screen use.

Mainly helps to use digital devices for longer time:

Nowadays, most daily tasks require using smartphones, tablets, or computers, which may keep you glued to screens for hours each day. These devices emit blue light, which continuously bombards your eyes. Wearing blue light glasses can protect your eyes and reduce the risk of vision problems. Children who wear computer glasses are more likely to maintain good eye health. Since kids and teens frequently use technology for learning, it's important to encourage them to wear blue-light-blocking glasses whenever they use their computers and mobile devices.

These devices emit blue light, which bombards your eyes continuously. By wearing blue light glasses, you can protect your eyes and reduce the risk of vision problems. Children who wear computer glasses are also more likely to maintain good eye health. Since kids and teens often use technology for learning, encourage them to wear blue-light-blocking eyepieces whenever they use computers and mobile devices. Finally, wear sunglasses when spending extended periods in the sun to protect your eyes from blue light.

Helps to provide better sleep: 

Blue light can negatively affect your normal waking and sleeping cycles and the quality of your sleep. Moreover, blue light in the evening can hinder your body's ability to produce melatonin. Besides affecting melatonin production, blue light also disturbs your natural body clock, making it difficult to sleep at night and wake up in the morning if your brain associates blue light with daytime. To minimize this effect, avoid screen time 30 minutes before sleeping. Alternatively, wearing blue light glasses while using your smartphone before bed can also help mitigate the effects of blue light exposure.

Help Preventing from Eye Strain:

Blue light can negatively affect your normal waking and sleeping cycles and the quality of your sleep. Moreover, blue light in the evening can hinder your body's ability to produce melatonin. Besides affecting melatonin production, blue light also disturbs your natural body clock, making it difficult to sleep at night and wake up in the morning if your brain associates blue light with daytime. To minimize this effect, avoid screen time 30 minutes before sleeping. Alternatively, wearing blue light glasses while using your smartphone before bed can also help mitigate the effects of blue light exposure.

Besides affecting your body's production of melatonin, blue light also disturbs your natural body clock. You may find it difficult to sleep at night and wake up in the morning if your brain associates blue light with daytime. To minimize this effect, avoid screen time 30 minutes before sleeping. Alternatively, wearing blue light glasses while using your smartphone before bed can also help mitigate the effects of blue light exposure.

Here are few tips to maintain eye health:

In addition to wearing blue light glasses, there are several steps you can take to lessen the symptoms associated with too much blue light exposure. 

• Practice the 20-20-20 rule by taking a break from digital devices every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds, allowing your eyes to relax

• Limit your screen time and sunlight exposure to reduce overall blue light intake. 

• Sit an arm’s length away from screens to minimize exposure, and use screen filters to lower blue light on digital devices. 

• Adjust your lighting by incorporating light sources that do not use LED bulbs if you cannot replace existing ones.

• Use eye drops to keep your eyes lubricated if you experience dryness.

• Finally, wear sunglasses when spending extended periods in the sun to protect your eyes from blue light.

By incorporating these practices, you can help mitigate the effects of blue light and maintain better eye health.