The Blue Light Special
Computers, tablets, and smartphones oh my!
While Computers, tablets, and smartphones have changed our lives for the better in terms of access to information and convenience they’ve also had a negative effect on our eyes. The “blue light” that is emitted from electronic devices. can cause eye strain, red eyes, blurred vision, and headaches. If you’re new to “blue light” and computer readers, read on to get answers to the what’s and how’s of it all.What is Blue Light?
In order to understand why our eyes have such a hard time with prolonged exposure to screens, we must first understand what blue light is. Blue light is a naturally occurring light produced by the sun and it’s also emitted by computers, tablets, LED and fluorescent lights.
The naturally occurring blue light in sunlight triggers a chemical process that halts the secretion of melatonin and signals the body that it’s time to wake up. There are several issues with prolonged blue light exposure from screens such as:
1. It tricks the brain into believing that its daytime which means it doesn’t produce melatonin, which then makes it hard to fall asleep at night.
2. Blue light is harder for the eye to process, making eyes work harder, get more fatigued and strained.
3. Blue light is harder for the eye to process because it moves through the eye all the way to the retina which can lead to an accumulation of toxins that can eventually lead to impaired vision.
What can we do?
The best way to minimize the effects of blue light is to minimize time on devices, but let’s be real, that just isn’t very likely nowadays. So, the next best thing is to wear computer glasses made to block the harmful effect of blue light.
What are Computer Readers?
Computer glasses have a special coating on the lenses that will either deflect the blue light or absorb it. They reduce glare, increase contrast, and allow you to look at screens for longer periods of time without harmful effects.
