The good and bad of Blue –All you need to know about Blue Light Protection
What on earth is Blue Light?
Blue Light, a natural part of visible light, is everywhere. Wherever you look, there are blue light emissions. Take the sun for example; it’s the largest source of blue light and being outdoors during the day is where we’re most exposed to it. But blue light can also be emitted artificially, through the daily use of digital devices like your smartphone, tablet and laptop.
Our modern lives revolve around our screens. We wake in the morning and check our phones, we work all day on our laptops and come home and spend hours scrolling through Instagram. The last thing we do before we sleep is check our phones just one last time. The exposure to blue light from digital devices is small in comparison to that of the sun, but the amount of time spent on our screens and our close proximity to this artificial blue light is a rising concern for eye care professionals.
And like most things in life, blue light comes in two forms; good and bad.
What is "good" blue light?
Good blue light boosts alertness, helps memory and cognitive performance and elevates our moods. Those happy vibes you feel on a warm sunny day are partly thanks to the “good” blue light that you’re basking in. In fact, in some climates where sunlight is scarce during winter, people have less blue light exposure and may develop seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in which they feel tired and depressed. Therapy lights that emit long blue light wavelengths are a common treatment for SAD.
Exposure to blue light during daytime hours also helps to regulate our sleep/wake cycle and is essential for a restful night's sleep.
When does the “good” become “bad”?
Harmful blue-violet light has been identified as the most dangerous. Over time, exposure to harmful blue light could cause serious long-term damage to your retina and potentially increases the risk of eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts and photokeratitis (sunburned cornea), which can lead to temporary blindness.
Too much exposure to blue light late at night through digital devices can disturb our sleep/wake cycle, leading to problems sleeping and daytime tiredness. This also leads to digital eye strain which causes headaches, dry and tired eyes, blurry vision, eye irritation, poor sleep and an inability to focus. The importance of protecting our eyes from the harmful rays of blue light cannot be overlooked, especially in an age where digital devices are a way of life for most of us.
How do we protect ourselves against the”bad” blue light rays?
Thankfully, some clever people found an innovative solution designed to protect our eyes from blue light. Blue Control lenses are the latest in Blue Light protection. These specially designed anti-reflective lenses minimize glare for a more comfortable and relaxed vision, as well as, protect our eyes against the harmful effects of blue light. We won’t get into the nitty gritty of how it works here, because it is a bit technical and we don’t want to bore you with details. But below we have broken down Blue Control at a glance:
Specialised coating that neutralises harmful blue light from digital devices
Reduces the symptoms of digital eye strain
Anti-reflective properties for reduced glare and increased contrast
Protects lenses with resistance to scratches, water, grease, and dirt
Applicable for prescription and non-prescription lenses
And as an added bonus…Blue Control lenses have 3 times more protection than regular prescription lenses.
Your eye health is important to us. If you’ve been feeling the effects of too much screen time, now is the time to make a change. As the world moves towards more digital advancements, we have to change the way we view the world. Maybe not through rose-tinted glasses, but a blue control coating.
Chat to your Execuspecs Optometrist about Blue control lenses today! We have the latest in trendy eyewear in store and your Blue Control lenses can be applied to prescription or non-prescription lenses.
Date Published: 09 July 2020
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