The effect of blue light on our eyes

Although unseen, blue light is everywhere!

The largest source of blue light is the sunlight and being outside in the sun all day is where most of us are exposed to it. There are also various other sources of blue light. These include digital devices like computer screens, smartphones, tablets and televisions.

It is well documented that exposure to blue light is important for good health, however research also shows that too much exposure to blue light can damage our eyes. This is because blue right is not efficiently filtered by our eyes and it is able to penetrate all the way to the inside of our eyes. This can cause damage which could even lead to vision loss. In fact exposure to blue light may increase the risk of macular degeneration – a vision change which causes blurry vision which can get worse over time. Macular degeneration, which is also called age-related macular degeneration (AMR) as it usually occurs with ageing, is currently the leading cause of blindness in the world.

Follow these steps to learn how to deal with blue light effectively:

1. Use Blue Light Filtering Glasses

If you are constantly looking at screens or using your smartphone, using blue light filtering glasses is a great idea. These filters significantly decrease the amount of blue light emitted from these devices without affecting the visibility of the display.

View our NEW range of Blue Light Filtering glasses and start protecting your eyes to enjoy better vision, better sleep and a healthier life!

2. Order glasses which have anti-reflective coatings

When ordering glasses you definitely ask for a glare reducing anti-reflective coat. These coatings block blue light from both sunlight and digital devices hence protecting your eyes. Photochromic lenses are also available for your glasses. These lenses darken when exposed to UV rays and protect your eyes from UV and blue light both inside and outdoors. Vision Opticians are currently offering 50% off on all blue light filters when buying new glasses.

3. Decrease your screen time and use lubricating eye drops

Increase exposure to blue light by spending too much time looking at a screen is one of the primary causes of digital eye strain. Digital eye strain is very common and symptoms include dry, tired and sore eyes as well as difficulty focusing. Besides wearing glasses which filter out blue light, using lubricating eye drops like Systane Hydration and Systane Balance could also keep your eyes well hydrated when looking at a screen for a prolonged period of time.

4. Take a daily supplement to support your eyes

Daily nutritional supplements like Vitalux Plus are very useful to maintain healthy eyes. Vitalux Plus contains the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of the antioxidants, vitamins and mineral supplements which are proven to support vision and hence can be very useful when we are continually being exposed to blue light.