Is the effect blue light is having on your eyes making you blue? You’re not alone. The negative effects of blue light exposure can range from eye strain, to sleep deprivation, to severe eye issues and vision loss.
The largest blue light offender is the sun; but fluorescent and LED lights can also produce blue light, as can computer, phone and television screens. Too much blue light from the sun can be dangerous, yielding possible serious eye issues, such as cataracts, eye growths, eye diseases, cancer and macular degeneration. While some believe that it can cause vision limitation, vision development issues and eye diseases, there is no scientific evidence to prove that blue light from screens is as potentially harmful as blue light from the sun.
The good news is that when we suffer from eye discomfort or dry eyes due to staring at a screen, most of the time it is simply digital eye strain. Digital eye strain is typically short lasting and preventable. The best way to prevent digital eye strain is by taking breaks from the amount of time we spend on our Smartphones, computers, tablets or in front of the TV.
Here’s a great digital eye strain minimization tip that could make you 20 times happier…When you are spending time in front of a screen that emits blue light, look at an object 20 feet away every 20 minutes for at least 20 seconds. Artificial tears can also help rejuvenate dry eyes.
Melatonin-robbing blue light can also negatively affect sleep patterns, stimulating us so that our natural sleep patterns are disrupted. The remedy for this is to try not to watch television or use your smart phone just before bedtime or if you wake up during the night.