Blue light is part of the visible light spectrum the human eye can see. It has very short, high-energy waves unlike the rest of the spectrum, thus causing more harm to our eyes than other visible light.
Sunlight is the strongest source of blue light. And there are artificial blue light sources such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, computers, television and even billboard screens.
While blue light provides certain benefits like boosting alertness, elevating the mood and enhancing memory and cognitive functions, with prolonged exposure it poses numerous health risks. Exposure to blue light also impacts the body’s natural wake-sleep-cycle and affect the quality of our sleep.
Blue light exposure commonly causes eye strain and leads to fatigue, headaches or dry or watery eyes. Such digital eye strain can manifest in other ways too, causing blurry vision, difficulty focusing, increased sensitivity to light, neck and shoulder pain and trouble sleeping.
In this day and age where all works are done through digital devices, it is hard to entirely eliminate the exposure to blue light. So, the most effective way to minimize the negative effects of blue light on our eyes and health is to use blue light glasses. Blue light glasses have a special sense that filters and reduces the amount of blue light that reaches the eyes.
Additionally, you should take regular breaks from your screens to rest your eyes, choose more red-light wavelength or warm lights in your home and where possible, use the blue light filters on your digital screens.
The most helpful thing you can do to protect your eyes is to limit screen time, but the next best thing is to start using blue light glasses as a precautionary measure.