Blue Light and your Eyes.html
Smartphones, computers, and even televisions have permeated our lives, and they are not going anywhere. Did you know that every one of these technologies contain blue light? Blue light is a wavelength between 450 – 495 nanometers in the visible light spectrum. It has a shorter wavelength that falls within the category of high-energy light, which is between 380 – 500 nanometers. Many studies have found that blue light encourages damage to the photoreceptor cells within the eye, and it may fast-track age-linked macular degeneration. As such this poses a health concern to patients. Younger patients could be especially vulnerable because the amount of light transmitted to the retina is age-dependent, and 65% of blue light can be transmitted at a young age. However, this percentage does decrease over time.
What you can do? Ask your patients about the amount of time they spend using smartphones, computers, or watching television. Make sure that patients, especially parents with children, are informed about the harmful effects of blue light.