you may or may not have heard about this type of light. Even though you may not have heard about blue light, you most likely see blue light every single day. After all, most devices, like computers and smartphones, emit blue light.
What is Blue Light?
Blue light is an electromagnetic wave that is a high-energy in short waves. They are only slightly less powerful than UV waves, which we have been told causes damage to eyes over the years.
Blue light is everywhere. You can be exposed to blue light by the sun, incandescent bulbs, and fluorescent bulbs. Of course, devices also emit blue light, which we mentioned above.
How Blue Light Negatively Affects Your Eyes
Your eyes do a wonderful job protecting you from all types of light. While your cornea and lens keep the UV rays from damaging your eyes, those two things do nothing to protect your eyes against blue light.
Digital Eye Strain
If you are constantly using a computer or a smartphone, or even simply watching a lot of television, you could end up with digital eye strain. Every person experiences digital eye strain differently. However, the main symptoms include dry eyes, headaches, tired eyes, irritated eyes, and fatigued facial muscles.
Sleep Cycle
No one is quite sure how this light affects your sleep cycle, but enough is known that the experts say to stay away from blue light an hour before you go to bed. Too much blue light can convince you it isn’t time to go to bed yet. Therefore, using devices right before bed can make it more difficult to fall asleep.
Benefits of Blue Light
There are a few benefits of all the blue light we get throughout the day. Blue light can naturally treat seasonal depression and help you stay alert. It can also help you boost your memory, so you don’t forget things as easily.
How to Block Blue Light
There is no guaranteed way to block blue light. But you can limit your exposure by following these tips. First, you should always practice the 20/20/20 strategy. If you are unfamiliar with this strategy, it is basically looking twenty feet away from a device for twenty seconds every twenty minutes.
It can be helpful to use eye drops throughout the day, so you do not experience the eye dryness and irritation that can occur from blue lights. You can also adjust the blue light on most screens, so you are seeing warmer tones at certain times of the day. This can be helpful if you tend to work later in the day before bed.
Prescription eyeglasses can be helpful with blocking some blue light as well, but only If you have them in the proper prescription form.
Now that you know what you need to about blue light, you can make some changes that will benefit you during the day. Those changes will ensure you are only seeing the blue light you need to and blocking some of it when you don’t need the extra blue light messing up your schedule.
