When we see a rainbow we are seeing all the components of the colour spectrum, red through to violet. Violent is at the higher end of the spectrum, followed by ultraviolet which is invisible to our eyes. This ultraviolet light (UV) is the cause of Sun damage, both to our eyes and skin. There is only a small amount of UV that penetrates the atmosphere, but this small amount contains a fairly high level of energy, so it can cause significant damage.
There is a lot of press lately about Blue light. This is the upper end of the visible spectrum, slightly lower than the invisible ultraviolet. There is a fear blue light is causing us harm; it seems to act like a weaker version of the invisible UV light. Exposure to Blue light may be linked to poor sleep, aging skin and eye strain. The effects may be short or long term.
Computer screen Blue Light
One concern with blue light is eye strain from computer monitors and other electronic screens. Grandparents use to tell us that staring at a TV screen for too long would damage our eyes. That actually seemed to be a fallacy, but using a computer for several hours a day may be causing legitimate problems.
Looking at a computer monitor for 40 hours or more per work week might be the same problem we have when looking at fine text; our eyes were not designed for long periods of delicate focus, so they become strained. Else it might be worse. The human eye does not focus on blue light as well as red, yellow or green. Computer monitors might cause more strain if they put out significant amounts of blue light that our eyes find difficult to focus.
There are computer glasses and screen covers that are designed to reduce blue light and eyestrain. Products vary in effectiveness, so it is difficult to recommend particular manufactures at the present time.
Optometrist Sydney CBD
Talk to your optometrist about any concerns. Many solutions are relatively straightforward, and our eyesight may be better because of a few simple precautions.
- Use good UV glasses when outdoors, and sunscreen.
- Avoid bright light and computers screens (including phones) before sleeping.
- Look for computer glasses of screen covers that reduce blue light.
References •
http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side
