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Did you know that digital devices we are all obsessed with nowadays can negatively affect our vision? Most Americans spend seven or more hours a day looking at the screens of various digital devices like smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, computer screens and laptops.
Lights emitted from digital screens are of many colours, but the worst is blue light. When we stare at digital screens for a prolonged period, we are making our eyes more prone to the damage by the blue lights.
We are obsessed with our electronic machines. In modern times carrying out even simple tasks seems impossible without the digital devices, and this means a hazardous amount of blue light is reaching our eyes.
This article will discuss the sources of blue lights and the potentials hazards of them.
What is blue light, and why is it necessary to avoid its excessive exposure?
White light comprises of all the visible colours, but the rays which are at the blue spectrum of the white light are harmful and can have negative impacts on our eyes as well as our overall health.
These blue lights suppress the production of melatonin which is a sleep-inducing hormone. With the lack of expression of melatonin, we find it harder to sleep and to stay asleep. Thus the blue lights will reduce our sleeping hours, and less sleeping hours will cause various health hazards.
Other than sleep disruption, these blue lights can damage our eyes too. Computer vision syndrome and retinal damage can be the consequence of excessive blue light exposure.
What are the sources of blue light?
Blue light is everywhere, and there is no way we can avoid its exposure. However, we can limit the untimed and unrequired exposure. For that, we must know what the potential sources of blue light are.
The sun
The sun is the primary source of blue light and this blue light emitted by the sun is responsible for keeping us alert in the day time. This blue light is required to boost up our mood and to keep us active.
The sun is the only natural source of blue light. The blue light emitted from the sun does not pose any health risk. However, the other lights that are from unnatural sources and that are harmful.
Computer screens and laptops
Most of us require working on our computer screens and laptops for approximately 6-7 hours a day as a part of our jobs. We may have experienced eye fatigue and strain during our work hours. What is the reason for this eye strain?
The reason is blue lights emitted from our computer screens. This continuous exposure of blue lights on our eyes can have severe and potentially irreversible damage to our eyes.
Installing screen filters on our computer and laptop screens can curb this blue light problem to a much extent.
Smartphones
Did you know that smartphones are the biggest driver of screen usage for an excessive period? The amount of time an average American would spend on their smartphone has drastically increased between 2015 and 2017.
With the increased in the use of smartphones, the exposure of blue light on our eyes is increased too. Hence the number of eye strain and sleeplessness incidences.
According to a data released by Apple, iPhone users unlock their phones almost 80 times per day, and that means looking at the screen five times per waking hours and hazardous amount of blue light reaching their eyes.
There are many software and app to filter the blue light coming from our cellphones. Many smartphones nowadays come with a night shift mode to block excessive emission of blue light.
LEDs and Televisions
I usually unwind my day by watching Netflix or my favourite sitcom. This is the usual routine of most of us. However, this seemingly harmless routine of ours is causing us irreversible damage.
Most of our teens are very fond of gaming consoles. Like my boy, these teens can spend hours playing games on their consoles, and this means staring at the screens for a long time. This continuous staring is, in turn, affecting their eyes and their overall health.
Screen filter, when applied to our LEDs and TVs, can significantly reduce the blue light emission.
Fluorescent bulbs
The fluorescent bulbs that we use to illuminate our houses at night are one of the sources of blue light emission. We can replace these fluorescent bulbs with bulbs that give off light with warmer tomes.
Also, red light bulbs can be used at night for our bedrooms for dim illumination.
https://www.raconteur.net/healthcare/understanding-sleep-2019/blue-light-sleep
https://www.bolle-safety.com/page/8-ways-protect-yourself-from-harmful-blue-light-screens
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side