Will Blue Light Actually Damage My Eyes?
Blue blocking lenses have a bluish tinge - this is the blue light reflected off the lens and away from the eye.
Blue light has been a hot topic in medical research in the past several years. It is known to cause damage to the retina, and may also begin a cascade that causes decreased melatonin secretion and increase adrenocorticoids. So what does that mean? Should we care? How can we stop it from causing damage?
2018 research correlates short wave blue light with dry eye, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and disrupted sleep patterns via the melatonin pathway.
For people that work in front of the computer (I frequently hear people working on the computer more than eight hours a day, and more at home or on phones), it is important to protect the eyes. All visible light, including computer and phone screens, emit short-wave blue light rays. It isn’t nearly as much as you would get from direct sunlight, but when it comes to damaging the eye, it’s the constant, long-term exposure that causes the main issues.
Using a “blue-blocking” anti-reflective coating on a pair of glasses is a great way to protect your eyes. These lenses are clear, but have a blue reflection when looking into them from the front. They may also have a yellowish tint in some cases. These coatings are often paired with a computer lens, that relieves the strain on the eye caused by focusing on the computer all day. Essentially, if you had perfect vision at far, your eyes would have to do work to focus to the computer (usually 50-60cm away). Strain throughout the day can put stress on the visual system, which can overflow to other areas of the brain. This overload can cause fatigue, headaches, eyestrain, inattention, and other symptoms that we think are “common” at the end of a work day. If we can relax our eyes, it becomes much easier to relax the body.
Pairing UV and blue light blocking anti-reflective coatings with a computer prescription lens is the best solution available for those that work long computer hours and want to protect their long-term vision and comfort.
Come on in and talk to Dr. Mark or shoot him an email at mark@northparkfamilyvsion.com if you have any questions or would like to try a pair out!