Blue Light and Eye Health
As technology becomes a more constant part of our daily lives, so does our exposure to the blue light emitted by the screens of our tablets, computers and iphones. Our eyes are evolved to handle sunlight during the day and spend evenings in relative darkness, but with the rise in technology we rarely find time to give our eyes a break. Some of us fall asleep while scrolling! Different colored light have different effects on the body. Blue wavelengths seem to be most disruptive at night. The biggest downside to blue light is that it disrupts our circadian rhythms (our body’s biological clock) by inhibiting melatonin secretion and enhancing adrenocortical hormone production. Any light suppresses melatonin secretion, but blue light suppresses it the most, and we lay in bed with it less than a foot away from our eyes!
As a result, our sleep suffers, and studiesshow that the lack of sleep caused by blue light emissions may contribute to diseases like cancer, depression, heart disease, diabetes, tumors and obesity. Not only does exposure blue light cause disease, but studies also show it can cause physical injury to your eye itself. When high energy blue light passes through the cornea and lens to the retina, it can cause diseases such as dry eye, eye strain, cataracts, and even accelerate age-related macular degeneration. How can we protect ourselves from the effects of blue light?
Besides limiting our screen time, choosing lens materials for your glasses that block out blue light can help preserve your eye health! Carytown Optical carries Blutech lenses, which block blue light and UV rays without distorting color perception or vision. Shamir’s “Blue zero” technology is a nearly clear lens that protects your health from blue light, UVA and UVB rays. Both can be used in prescription or non prescription glasses! These lenses fit frames of any style, and protect you while you do a little online shopping or web-surfing at night so you don't ruin your night's sleep. Visit us at Carytown Optical to learn more about options for blue light protection. Your eyes need a break so you can see well into the future!
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