Artificial blue light is bad for the eyes

Artificial blue light is bad for your eyes because it can cause eye strain, disrupt sleep patterns, and damage the retina. Artificial blue light is an unnatural cause of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and contributes to eye problems even in younger people. This is a serious problem that is often overlooked.

When we are exposed to blue light from electronic devices such as smartphones, computers, and televisions, our eyes can become strained by the high-energy wavelengths of light. This can cause headaches, blurred vision, and dry eyes. Many people complain of symptoms such as red, burning, and watery eyes during long periods of working on a computer.

In addition, blue light can disrupt the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep patterns. Nighttime exposure to blue light can suppress melatonin production and disrupt the natural sleep cycle, leading to insomnia and other sleep problems.

Finally, prolonged exposure to blue light can damage the retina. The retina is the part of the eye responsible for perceiving light, and it is particularly sensitive to blue light. Although the extent of blue light-induced damage is still being studied, some studies suggest that excessive exposure to blue light may increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration, a condition that can lead to permanent vision loss.

In short, it is important to limit exposure to artificial blue light, especially at night, to protect your eyes and promote healthy sleep habits.

What can be done to protect the eyes from harmful artificial blue light?

There are several things you can do to protect your eyes from harmful artificial blue light:

• Use blue light filters: Many electronic devices and computer monitors now offer blue light filter settings. Enabling these settings can help reduce the amount of blue light emitted from your screen. However, research has shown that blue light settings on monitors are not effective. Software solutions such as NightShift or Flux can only eliminate the blue components at a setting that results in a significant change in color rendering and blur. A 2017 study from the Lighting Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, USA confirms that melatonin suppression is not significantly prevented with a software solution.

• Wear blue light blocking glasses: Special glasses with lenses that block blue light can be worn while using electronic devices or working with a computer screen. Glasses that block blue light are much more effective at eliminating the blue components and still provide better color rendering. Check out Schulli’s blue light filters here.

• Take regular breaks: Taking regular breaks from electronic devices can help reduce eye strain and give your eyes a rest. A good rule of thumb is the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look away from your screen and focus on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

• Use ambient lighting (general lighting): Using ambient lighting in your workspace can help reduce the contrast between the bright screen and the dark environment, which can reduce eye strain. You should make sure that this general lighting comes from a natural source (daylight) or an incandescent light source – if this light is from LED bulbs, it can inadvertently exacerbate the problem.

• Limit screen time before bed: Avoid using electronic devices for at least an hour before bedtime to minimize blue light exposure and help promote healthy sleep patterns.

• Increase your distance from the screen: Increase the distance between your eyes and the screen. A good rule of thumb is to keep the screen at least an arm’s length away from your face.

How do blue light blocking glasses work?

Blue light blocking glasses are designed to filter or block blue light from electronic devices such as computers, smartphones, and televisions. They do this by using special lenses that contain special layers or filters that absorb or reflect blue light.

These lenses are tinted yellow or amber. They selectively block certain wavelengths of blue light and allow other wavelengths to pass through. This can help reduce the amount of blue light that enters the eyes, and reduce the risk of eyestrain, fatigue, and other symptoms associated with excessive blue light exposure.

Blue light blocking glasses are usually worn when working in front of a computer screen or watching an LED TV screen. They can be worn during the day or at night, depending on the wearer’s needs. It is especially advisable to use the glasses at night because there is no natural light at night. Also, exposure to blue light at night can disrupt sleep patterns and melatonin production.

It is important to note that while blue light blocking glasses reduce the amount of blue light that enters the eyes, they are not a substitute for good eye care practices, such as taking regular breaks from electronic devices and maintaining a healthy distance from screens.

Foods and nutritional supplements that have a positive effect on the eyes and are particularly good for maintaining healthy eyes

There are several foods and nutritional supplements that can have a positive effect on the eyes:

• Leafy greens: Greens like spinach and kale are high in antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, which may help protect the eyes against age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

• Fatty fish: Fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce the risk of macular degeneration and dry eye syndrome.

• Nuts and Seeds: Nuts like almonds and sunflower seeds are high in vitamin E, which may help protect the eyes from oxidative stress and age-related damage.

• Citrus Fruits: Fruits like oranges, grapefruits, and lemons are high in vitamin C, which may help reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.

• Carrots: Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is essential for healthy vision and may help protect the eyes against night blindness and other vision problems.

• Supplements: Certain supplements, such as omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zeaxanthin, and astaxanthin, may help support eye health.

• Vitamin C: This antioxidant vitamin helps protect the eyes from oxidative stress and may help reduce the risk of cataracts and AMD (age-related macular degeneration – which, as mentioned, is promoted by looking at artificial blue light sources).

• Vitamin E: This antioxidant vitamin helps protect the eyes from oxidative stress and may help reduce the risk of cataracts and AMD.

• Zinc: This mineral is essential for maintaining healthy immune function and wound healing, and may also play a role in preventing AMD. Zinc is also known for other benefits in the body and for general immune support.

• Copper: This mineral is important for maintaining healthy connective tissue and may help reduce the risk of AMD.

It is important to note that while these supplements can be beneficial for maintaining eye health, it is always best to talk to a healthcare provider before taking any supplements, as some can interact with medications or have potential side effects. Additionally, a healthy diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can provide many of the vitamins and minerals needed for good eye health.

In addition to these foods and supplements, a healthy diet, proper hydration, and regular exercise can also help promote healthy eyes and vision. There are also eye training “goggles” available that, when worn for a few minutes a day, can help improve overall vision. These are not actual goggles, but eye masks that have many small holes in a specific pattern that force the eyes to focus precisely depending on the distance to the object being viewed. By essentially auto-focusing the eyes, these devices help to maintain overall eye health.

Sources of information used include:

• American Academy of Ophthalmology: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a problem with your retina. It happens when part of the retina, the macula, becomes damaged. With AMD, you lose your central vision. You can no longer see fine details, whether you are looking at something close up or far away. However, your peripheral (side) vision remains normal. For example, imagine looking at a clock with hands. With AMD, you may be able to see the numbers on the clock, but not the hands. AMD is very common. It is the leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 50.
• All about vision: Without getting into complicated physics, there is an inverse relationship between the wavelength of a light beam and the amount of energy it contains. Light beams with short wavelengths have more energy, and those with longer wavelengths have less energy. Light beams at the red end of the spectrum have long wavelengths and less energy, while those at the blue end of the visible light spectrum have short wavelengths and a lot of energy.
• Vision Council: What is digital eye strain and what are the common symptoms that come with it? Eye strain is the discomfort that many people experience after looking at a digital screen for more than two hours at a time. According to a survey by The Vision Council, many American adults report experiencing eye strain, dry eyes, headaches, blurred vision, and neck and shoulder pain after prolonged screen use.
• Blue Light Exposed: Digital screen technology has evolved significantly over the years, and many of today’s electronic devices use LED lighting technology to enhance the brightness and clarity of the screen. These LEDs emit very strong blue light waves. Cell phones, computers, tablets, and flat-screen TVs are just a few of the devices that use this technology. Due to their widespread use and increasing popularity, we are gradually being exposed to more and more sources of blue light and for longer periods of time.
• Innovative Eyewear: Short-wavelength light is dominating more and more areas of life. Around the clock, our homes, offices and streets are flooded with artificial light from LED lamps, which almost always have far too high a blue light content. The blue light from close up on the screens of our smartphones, tablets, PCs and TVs makes the irritation even greater. But our eyes and our biorhythms are not naturally designed to withstand such stress permanently. Protect yourself and your children with our effective PRiSMA BluelightProtect filter systems before this stress exceeds your individual tolerance threshold. PRiSMA colour glasses have been produced since 1993 and have been sold in more and more countries around the world since then. Their development was based on the findings of light biology from the outset. The PRiSMA filter technology made them unique. Since 2007, INNOVATiVE EYEWEAR has been conducting research into the implementation of effective protection against blue light. Our development partner and technology consultant Dr. med. Alexander Wunsch has provided the necessary expertise from the outset.

Schulli is pleased to offer its customers some important eye protection items:

• Blue light filters made by Prisma, a source we fully trust and which has established through scientific research and measurements that their statements are fully met.
• The dietary supplement Astaxanthin in a sufficiently strong dosage, which is known to support eye health.
• Chewable tablets with zinc and vitamin C – not only healthy but also tasty
• The Ortici training ‘glasses’ for maintaining and improving general vision