The Shocking Impact of Blue Light Effects of Digital Screens!

Introduction

Sunlight typically comprises 7 colors – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet light. Each one of these colors has a particular wavelength and energy. The longer wavelengths and less energy make up red rays. Blue or bluish-violet rays, on the other hand, have shorter wavelengths and more energy. The light that looks white generally has a large blue ratio as opposed to other colors, which exposes the eye to an elevated amount of wavelength from the blue end of the spectrum.

The largest source of blue light on the Earth is sunlight while the manmade sources that emit blue light include:

• LED light
• Television screen
• Computer monitor
• Laptop screen
• Smartphone screen
• Tablet screen
• CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulb

Positive Effects of Blue Light

• Some efficacious blue light effects on humans involve improved alertness, mood, memory, and cognitive function.
• Exposure to blue light during the daytime helps to maintain a healthful circadian rhythm – the body’s natural ‘wake and sleep cycle’.
• Not enough exposure to sunlight in children can hamper the development of the eyes’ muscles & vision.

According to studies, using blue light from digital device screens during daytime or evening disrupts the brain’s sleep patterns as it interprets the screen light as “daytime,” hence, the body’s circadian rhythm is disrupted.

Hazardous effects of blue light on the eyes

• Since the eye’s ability to filter blue light is limited, virtually all visible blue light travels through the front of the eye (cornea and lens) and reaches the retina, which converts light into pictures for the brain to analyze.

• Continued exposure to blue light over time could damage retinal cells. According to a study funded by the National Eye Institute, children are more sensitive to the use of blue light from digital devices than adults.
  
• People generally tend to blink less when using digital devices. These devices emit blue light & due to their short wavelength & high energy light, they contribute to digital eye strain which may exhibit the following discomforts related to vision:
  • Sore & wearing eyes with a burning or itching sensation.
  • Eyes that are watery or dry.
  • Double or hazy vision.
  • Eye strain headache due to excess contraction of eye muscles.
  • Neck, shoulders, or back pain
  • Increased light sensitivity.
  • Difficulty in driving long distances that involve extended focus.

It is recommended for individuals spending extended hours in front of digital devices to use computer glasses with yellow-tinted lenses (or by applying blue-light filter on the digital screen). It helps to pacify the strain on the eyes & helps in increasing comfort when viewing digital devices at night time. These lenses actually reduces the phototoxicity effects by 10.6% to 23.6% without sacrificing quality or compromising on visual performance. Lastly, these glasses can also aid in falling asleep, staying asleep, and getting a more restful night’s sleep.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6020759/

How to Reduce the Effects of Blue Light

• Blue-light filters are available for your phone, tablet, and computer screens. The filters prevent a lot of the blue light from reaching the eyes while keeping the visibility of the display proper.
• Applying the 20-20-20 rule decreases digital eye strain. Take a 20-second break every 20 minutes to gaze about 20 meters away.
• Control the lighting and anti-glare on the digital device screen to create a proper distance and posture for screen viewing.
• By emphasizing the most fundamental yet underrated principle in life, the ‘law of moderation’.  Don’t spend lengthy periods of time viewing or working on a digital screen, and if you can’t avoid it, at least follow the 20-20-20 rule.

During your next visit to your ophthalmologist (eye doctor), don’t forget to discuss blue light protection and the use of digital devices for a better understanding from a medical perspective as well.

Citations/credits:

https://preventblindness.org/blue-light-and-your-eyes/
https://health.ucdavis.edu/health-news/newsroom/is-blue-light-from-your-cell-phone-tv-bad-for-your-health/2019/05
https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/electronic-screen-alert-avoid-this-vision-risk
https://kraffeye.com/blog/how-to-protect-eyes-from-mobile-and-computer-screens
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6020759/

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