We see the colours and lights through our eyes. But, it’s not often that we consider what these lights do to our vision. Whether you are soaking in the sun, turning on LED lights in your bedroom or video calling with your friend while studying abroad, your eyes are exposed to a variety of visible and invisible lights that you don’t even know of.
Many people are well aware of the fact that sunlight contains UV rays that are damaging to the skin. But do you know what else is vulnerable to the sun rays? Your eyes! Yes, you read that right.
Among the mix of visible lights of the sun is the blue light that has short wavelengths and high-energy rays. While this light is important for the proper functioning of your cognitive functions, elevated mood patterns and better sleep/wake cycle, there is also a dark side to it.
When is blue light bad?
We spend numerous hours in front of our devices. While we know that work is important, you probably don’t want to lose your vision for work or fun.
Digital devices emit short blue waves that are scattered all over the place making our eyes work extra hard to focus on them. So, it is quite understandable while our eyes feel all tired after we’ve been on our computers, laptops or smartphones for too long.
Not only the devices, but blue light is also everywhere. You turn on your flat-screen TV and there it is. We don’t mean to startle you, but if your eyes continue to absorb this bad light, you may develop severe eye conditions in the future. Here is what blue light does to your eye health.
Eyestrain
Just like a bad student, blue light isn’t easily focused. When you have your eyes locked on your digital devices, blue light reduces the contrast, making your eyes suffer in silence. The headaches, eye pain, dry eyes, blurry vision or any other type of visual or physical discomforts you feel after computer use, you can blame it all on blue light. However, if you wear glasses that are meant for screen use, you can avoid these symptoms.
Retinal damage
Although blue waves are short, they are so damn good at reaching the back of your eye and wreak havoc on the light-sensitive cells in your retina. It targets the macula and deteriorates your central vision over time. People who spend a huge part of their day digitally are more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration than their peers.
Sleep disruption
Blue light exposure during the late hours can block the production of melatonin hormone that makes us feel sleepy. So if you have a habit of using your smartphone in the nighttime, just think about all that sleep you would lose to it. And when you don’t get enough sleep, your eyes won’t get enough rest.
Where does the solution lie?
Canceling out blue light won’t take much of your efforts. You can simply wear blue light glasses every time you find yourself sticking to a device. They will filter out the blue light so it doesn’t even get anywhere close to your eyes.
Moreover, you can wear these glasses at night when you are too busy scrolling through your smartphone as they won’t let blue light mess with your sleep.
You must also consider taking regular breaks from your screens to give your eyes some rest and make them feel fresh. Sitting at an arm’s length from your devices will also do the job.
If you already use prescription or reading glasses, having an anti-reflective coating on the lenses will protect your eyes from screen glare.
While a little amount of natural blue light is good for our health, extensive blue light exposure for a long time can damage our retina. It is always wise to consider all that could go wrong and give the best protection to our eyes.
You can buy low-cost glasses with yellow-tinted lenses that will stop this light from passing through and causing damage. Technology is a good thing but you should be careful of how you use it. Build healthy screen habits for yourself and your kids to curb the effects of blue light on your vision and quality of life.
Author Bio: I’m Jaylin: Guest post service planner of Leelija and full time blogger. Favourite things include my camera, traveling, caring for my fitness, food and my fashion. Email id: editor@leelija.com