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Find out what blue light does to your health, and how the use of blue light blocking eyeglasses can shield your eyes against its harmful effects.
15 June 2020
| Last updated on 9 August 2020
We break down what is blue light, how it affects you, and the best way to protect your eyes from it.
We can't help that in our increasingly digital world, most of us in the UAE spend a significant part of our time looking at a screen, then go home and spend our free time doing the same thing.
What does all this screen time mean for your eye health and sleep patterns? The answer lies in blue light exposure.
From your phone to your computer, we frequently expose ourselves to blue light that can actively influence our health, affecting our mood and sleep.
Rivoli EyeZone, the UAE's go-to for globally renowned brands in sunglasses, optical frames, contact and prescription lenses, gave their insight on how blue light can affect our health, lifestyle, and wellbeing.
Here is everything you need to know.
What is blue light?
Blue Light is a color in the ‘visible light spectrum’ that can be seen by the human eye. Blue light has a very short wavelength, between 380 nanometers (nm) and 500 nm, and so produces a higher amount of energy.
Blue light between 415 nm and 455 nm is harmful for the eyes. However, it is well documented that certain wavelengths of blue light is essential for good health. Research has shown that this wavelength of blue light boosts alertness, helps memory and cognitive function and elevates mood.
Where is blue light found?
According to experts at Rivoli EyeZone, blue light is actually everywhere. It can be found in both natural and artificial sources.
Natural sources of blue light
When outside, light from the sun travels through the atmosphere. The shorter, high-energy blue wavelengths collide with the air molecules causing blue light to scatter everywhere. This is what makes the sky look blue.
In its natural form, your body uses blue light from the sun to regulate your natural sleep and wake cycles. This is known as your circadian rhythm.
Artificial sources of blue light
Artificial sources of blue light include electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets and computers, as well as energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs and LED lights.
In recent times, COVID-19 has resulted in increased use of digital devices and screen time for work, study and leisure activities like e-gaming.
Children are especially susceptible to harmful blue light exposure, as the school classes are now being imparted via video conferencing (e-learning). Hence, blue light protection eyeglasses are becoming a necessity even for people who don't require a prescription.
How does blue light affect us?
Being continuously connected to digital devices could contribute to tired eyes, fatigue, dry eyes, sleep disorder and stiff necks - all symptoms of digital eyestrain.
Spending the majority of our waking hours in front of digital screens puts our eyes through a lot of wear and tear. At the same time, HEV light from our computers, phones and tablets not only strains our eyes further, it could also put them at risk of aging faster.
Long-term exposure to blue-violet light may damage the retina (sensitive inner layer of the eye), increasing the risk of macular degeneration and other conditions, including:
- Lack of concentration
- Sleep disorder
- Weight gain
- Memory loss
How to save your eyes from harmful blue light?
The use of protective eyewear can play an important role in shielding your eyes against the harmful effects of blue light.
For indoors, in low light or at night, protective ophthalmic lenses with a special blue light internal filter designed to reflect and cut high-energy blue light penetration are available. This type of lens is referred to as blue light blocking lenses.
At Rivoli EyeZone, vision care consultants provide advanced Blue Light blocking lenses enhanced through the latest Japanese technology. Their lenses come with an inbuilt blue blocking ability, making it more effective in blocking harmful blue rays, as the surface coated blue light protection can sometimes be inconsistent and could also wear off with time.
Rivoli EyeZone is currently offering FREE blue light protection on any frame for a limited period of time.
They are also offering a curated range of ready-wear plano eyeglasses pre-fitted with blue light blocking lenses, along with an option to fit these special lenses on any of the eyewear available in-store.
