Is Blue Light Bad For Your Eyes? Know The Facts!
Blue light has been a common topic of conversation in recent years, thanks to the increased use of LED monitors, smartphones, and LED lighting. Patients often ask us, “is blue light bad?”
A nuanced answer is required in response to the question, “is blue light bad?” The sun is our biggest natural source of blue light. All life on earth depends on the sun and its light.
The white light we see is a combination of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet light. So basically, it is impossible to get the sun’s life-giving light without also receiving blue light.
Surprising Benefits of Blue Light
Since lately, there has been so much discussion about “is blue light bad”; we thought it is important to mention the benefits. Like many things in life, there is a Goldilocks effect. Too little has negative consequences as well as too much.
As we mentioned, the sun is the top source of blue light. Our brains and eyes developed to use the presence of blue light as a sign that it is daytime and time to be awake and alert. Too little natural blue light during the day may even confuse the body’s internal clock or circadian rhythms. This may be one reason why so many people feel refreshed and alert after walking or spending time outside during the day. The research is emerging and ongoing, but sometimes when people who work indoors take lunchtime walks, it helps boost daytime alertness and regulate sleep cycles.
Some studies indicate that sunlight, and yes probably blue light, may be essential to healthy eye development in children. This can be especially concerning as more young children spend less time playing outside and more time inside playing video games or engaging in other indoor activities.
While the impact on adults is less known, it does appear that the eyes need time outside in natural light for healthy development and possibly ongoing health.
Of course, like all eye doctors, we recommend wearing UV blocking sunglasses during this time spent outside since the sun prematurely ages and damages the eyes just like it does the skin.
Is Blue Light Bad For The Eyes?
However, blue light has shorter rays and produces more intense energy that passes through the eye to reach the retina and causes premature aging. The more blue light the eyes encounter, the faster damage tends to accumulate.
Is This a New Problem?
Before the digital and smartphone era, most blue light exposures came from the sun. The eye damage accumulated, but not as fast, especially when the person wears protective eyewear, hats, or visors.
Now, most people get additional blue light exposure from their LED television set, computer monitor, tablet, smartphone screen, energy-efficient LED and fluorescent lighting, and more. There are simply more opportunities for the blue light to damage the eyes. Also, people tend to use their phones and tablets throughout the day and well into the evening until bedtime.
Also, since blue light helps regulate our waking and sleeping cycles. The eyes and the brain respond to it as a signal that it is time to be awake and alert. When you consider that the sun is the top natural source, it makes sense that blue light might influence circadian rhythms. Now that people unwind with games, streaming video, and internet browsing on their tablets and phones, people may be getting wake signals just at the very time when we should be winding down to sleep. Sleep disruption is another reason why too much blue light is bad for your eyes and you.
How to Minimize the Risk of Excessive Blue Light
So instead of asking is blue light bad, ask if you are exposed to too much blue light. In addition to eye damage, excessive screen time also leads to digital eye strain and eye fatigue. Some of the best strategies to prevent this include limiting screen time, especially before bedtime. Also, take frequent breaks throughout the day where you practice the 20-20-20 technique. To do this:
- Take a break every 20 minutes that you are using your computer or device
- For 20 seconds, focus your eyes on a non-digital object that is at least 20 feet away.
Also, consider the ergonomics of your work area. The monitor should be placed at a height that is easy to look at sitting or standing with good posture and without angling your head in awkward positions. Laptops can be problematic since people often have to look down all the time, resulting in additional fatigue.
Eye protection is essential in limiting unnecessary blue light damage. Whenever you are outside, wear sunglasses that block 99 or 100 percent of UV light. This reduces much of the premature aging that happens due to sun, UV, and blue light exposure. Next, if you work at a computer, consider either wearing blue light glasses or wearing corrective lenses that have a special coating that protects the eyes from blue light from monitors and screens.
See an Eye Doctor to Learn How to Reduce the Damage From Blue Light
An annual vision examination is essential to ongoing vision health. Instead of simply having the screening exam and eye test, consider also talking with your eye care professional about aspects of your lifestyle that might impact your vision over time. Computer use, screen time, and blue light exposure are some of those topics.
We at Piedmont Eye Care love to help our patients make healthy choices and prevent damage. We carry an extensive range of eye protection for either time spent outside or inside at the computer.
Also, we can strategize ways to reduce blue light exposure and eye strain throughout the day for you and the members of your family. If you are a parent or guardian, we are also happy to share more information on protecting your children’s eye health while encouraging them to spend time outside for their eye development and overall well being.
If you live in the Charlotte area, contact Piedmont Eye Care today to arrange for you or your family member’s eye examinations.
