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The following article was published in Your Health Magazine. Our mission is to empower people to live healthier.
Dawn Devaney Gammon, OD, FAAO
The Dark Side Of Blue Light
The Eyewear Gallery
. http://www.eyewear-gallery.com/

The Dark Side Of Blue Light

We wear sunglasses to protect our eyes from harmful UV rays emitted by the sun. But what about blue light? Your eyes are sensitive to a narrow band of frequencies referred to as the “visible light spectrum.” Blue light has a very short wavelength and is detectable by the human eye. Not only does it provide basic illumination to our world, blue light also helps to increase feelings of well-being. But exposure to large amounts of blue light can be harmful to the eyes.

High-energy visible blue light (HEVBL) is also emitted from our electronic devices like our laptops, phones, tablets and televisions. Excessive HEVBL can cause oxidative damage to the eyes, and may play an integral role in causing age-related macular degeneration, which can lead to significant vision loss.

With use of digital devices and modern lighting, our eyes are bombarded with HEVBL. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) and light emitting diodes (LED) contain about 25% to 35% of the HEVBL we receive in a typical day. It is estimated that by the year 2020, 90% of all of our lighting will be LED.

So how do we handle this assault on our eyes? A simple way is to turn off your computer and put your cell phone in your pocket, but that's not really feasible in today's world. The best way that you can protect yourself is with a pair of protective glasses. BluTech offers blue light blocking lenses that you can wear while working, that will prevent the absorption of blue light and lessen the risk of ocular damage. Studies have shown that people who wear blue-blocking lenses feel more relaxed at night and experience better sleep, therefore making them more productive during
the day.

Most of us like to wind down and watch TV or go online at night. The downside is that HEVBL emitted from self-luminous screens decreases our body's melatonin production, thereby disturbing our sleep. This can wreak havoc not only on our eyes, but our lifestyle, causing us to be less productive throughout the day.

Melatonin suppression has far worse consequences than simply poor sleep. It has been shown to impair immune system function, and possibly lead to other systemic diseases. So put down your phone at least an hour before you hit the sack.

And ask your eye doctor about ways that you can protect your eyes and your health in our new technologically advanced environment.

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