Is Blue Light Really Bad for Your Eyes?

From working on your computer to unwinding with your favorite shows, your exposure to digital screens is nearly constant. You’re probably reading this on a screen right now.

As an avid information hound, you’ve also probably heard about blue light and its potential harm. The question is: Is it a buzzword or a genuine threat to your vision?

Dr. Sophia Barnes at Vision Corner in Houston, Texas, has studied blue light and its effects on the human eye. Here, she explains the facts and discusses how blue light glasses can help.

Blue light 101

Blue light is visible light with short wavelengths and high energy. In technical terms, it falls in the 380- to 500-nanometer range. 

Digital screens receive a lot of blame for blue light, but the sun is the biggest culprit. Artificial sources, such as LED lights, computer monitors, and smartphone screens, come in a close second. 

Blue light: The double-edged sword 

Blue light isn’t inherently bad. It helps regulate your sleep-wake cycles and keeps you alert during the day. However, constant exposure to screens can tip the balance, leading to several health problems, including computer vision syndrome.

How blue light affects your eyes

Human eyes aren’t great at blocking blue light, so most of it reaches your retinas directly. Constant exposure, especially from close-range digital devices, can potentially harm your retinal cells. Over time, this might lead to vision issues like age-related macular degeneration. 

The Vision Council highlights several eye-opening stats:

• 80% of American adults use digital devices for over two hours daily
• 80% are staring at their screens within an hour of bedtime
• 67% use more than one digital device simultaneously
• 55% start looking at a digital screen within the first hour after waking up

This overexposure leads to a series of adverse effects, including headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes, eye strain, and even neck and shoulder pain.

How blue light affects your sleep patterns

Blue light exposure, particularly before bedtime, can interfere with your sleep quality and quantity because it inhibits melatonin production, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep-wake cycles. Disrupted sleep can lead to sleep disorders, heart disease, and cognitive dysfunctions. 

Blue light linked to eye strain and fatigue

Over half of Americans suffer from the effects of digital screen overexposure, including eye strain and fatigue. Because the high-energy blue light scatters easily, it’s difficult for your eye to focus on it, leading to dryness, irritation, and even pain. After hours in front of your computer, you might squint to focus, which fatigues your facial muscles.

How to reduce blue light exposure

Dr. Barnes advocates commonsense self-monitoring and reasonable screen-time limitations for our patients who use digital devices all day. Here’s how to keep yourself in check and save your eyesight:

Adopt the 20-20-20 rule

Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break to focus on something 20 feet away.

Adjust your screen settings

Ensure you’re working in good lighting, and reduce the glare on your screens by adjusting the brightness.

Use blue-light filters

Many devices have built-in blue-light filtering options that adjust the screen’s output, reducing blue light emission without affecting display quality. Take advantage of them.

Get blue light glasses

Blue light glasses minimize digital eye strain without compromising your screen visibility. For techies, parents, workaholics, social media junkies, and anyone with a digital screen habit, blue light glasses are a great way to protect eye health. They can be especially beneficial for kids, whose developing eyes absorb more blue light. 

Call Vision Corner today or book an appointment online to learn more about blue light glasses or to schedule an eye exam.