{"id":13963,"date":"2021-06-13T12:11:30","date_gmt":"2021-06-13T12:11:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=13963"},"modified":"2022-05-17T07:30:47","modified_gmt":"2022-05-17T07:30:47","slug":"protecting-your-eyes-from-blue-light","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-exams\/eye-protection-at-home\/protecting-your-eyes-from-blue-light\/","title":{"rendered":"Protecting Your Eyes from Blue Light"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do you spend hours working on your computer? You could be exposing yourself to blue light eye damage.<\/b><\/h2>\n

Looking at a computer screen for long periods of time may be harmful to your eyes due to the blue light<\/a> it emits. Research has shown that overexposure to blue light can lead to eye strain and disrupted sleep patterns.<\/p>\n

Now, researchers are looking into whether an excessive amount of exposure to blue light poses other risks to eye health.<\/p>\n

What is blue light?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Visible light is made up of a variety of wavelengths and energy levels. The part of the visible light spectrum with the most energy is blue light.<\/p>\n

The fact that blue light has a higher energy than other colors means that it can quickly penetrate the retina at the back of the eye. While certain structures in the eye, such as the cornea and lens, usually block harmful rays like ultraviolet light, they allow blue light to pass through.<\/p>\n

How does blue light affect the eye?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Research has shown that when exposed to very high levels of blue light<\/a>, the retina\u2019s light sensitive cells can be damaged.<\/p>\n

The exact mechanism of cell damage is still unknown and whether this is a risk factor for vision problems such as age-related macular degeneration.<\/p>\n

However, studies are being conducted on whether the blue light emitted by digital devices like cell phones, tablets and computers is enough to qualify as excessive exposure.<\/p>\n

What we do know is that blue light contributes to digital eye strain, since it scatters more freely than other light. When scattered blue light rays enter the eye, they create visual noise, which is thought to be a\u00a0 cause of digital eye strain symptoms including:<\/p>\n