If you spend at least an hour a day in front of a computer screen, your tablet or your smartphone, you may inadvertently be suffering from eye strain. This is because of the blue light emitted from TV screens, computer screens and cell phones, which is harmful to the human eye and can cause eyestrain.
On a daily basis, our eyes are exposed to a wide range of light colors but blue wavelength light is by far the most dangerous to the human eye. Blue light is not all bad, however: during the day, blue light can help us to concentrate more and increase energy levels.
Unfortunately, if we are exposed to too much blue light, this can have a negative effect on various aspects of our physical and mental health and it is important to know what you can do about this before it is too late.
Why is eye strain so harmful?
In this modern world, we are exposed to an abundance of blue light and this can result in frequent eye strain.
Eyestrain happens when our eyes are used extensively to read, look at computer screens, look into the distance when driving and much more.
When we don’t allow our eyes to rest regularly, they can suffer from eye strain. This can then cause our eyes to become fatigued, sore, itchy and burning. In addition, our eyes can also become too dry or water excessively. In some cases, eye strain can result in double or blurred vision and cause a prolonged headache. Some people suffer from aching or sore shoulders, neck or back when their eyes are strained and can find it difficult to concentrate on their work. Eyestrain can also make your eyes very sensitive to light and you could have trouble keeping your eyes completely open.
Of course, every person is different and how your body reacts to eyestrain will be different. However, the symptoms of eyestrain are never good and it should therefore be avoided as much as possible.
How blue light affects your eyes.
Even though you cannot feel blue light against your eyes at all, it has a major impact on your eyes and various aspects of your physical and mental health.
Very often, you won’t notice symptoms of eyestrain until a few years down the line and you will then need to make some important lifestyle changes in order to cope with eyestrain.
When we look at screens (whether it is a TV, computer or smartphone screen) in the evenings, the blue light emitted from these devices confuses your body’s natural circadian rhythm.
Your circadian rhythm is responsible for helping you to feel awake and energized during the day and sleepy and relaxed at night so that you can sleep. When this sensitive and natural rhythm is disturbed, it can have very unpleasant consequences.
With blue light interfering with your circadian rhythm, you may find it difficult to fall asleep and enjoy a good quality night’s sleep. Don’t be tempted to turn to sleeping aids and tablets as this can make the problem even worse and prevent you from getting to the actual cause of the problem.
In some cases, the harmful effects of blue light cause some people to develop diseases and chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease.
Very often, prolonged exposure to blue light over many years can result in macular degeneration and other eye conditions.
Blue light causes eyestrain.
It is a well-known scientific fact that blue light causes eyestrain, but the good news is that you can take steps to minimize these harmful effects.
For example, you could use dim red light at night instead of regular lighting as this can help to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm and keep your body’s biological clock balanced.
It is also recommended that you try and avoid looking at blue light emitting screens for 2 to 3 hours before you go to bed.
If your job involves looking at a computer screen for most of the day, you should consider investing in a good quality pair of computer eye strain glasses (we like Ocushield’s computer eye strain glasses).
Blue light glasses help to mitigate the negative effects of blue light on your eyes and they can be especially useful if you have no choice but to look at a screen a few hours before going to bed.
Another great way of preventing the harmful effects of blue light on your eyes is to try and expose your body to plenty of bright light during the daytime. This can help your circadian rhythm to function optimally and it will also help to improve your mood and increase your energy levels during the day, when you need it the most. For best results, you should try and combine this kind of natural light therapy with regular breaks from your computer screen in order to give your eyes a much-needed rest.
As you can see from the above, blue light not only causes your eyes to suffer from strain, but it can also affect other aspects of your physical and mental health.
While you probably can’t avoid looking at a screen on a daily basis, if you take steps to prevent the harmful effects of blue light on your eyes, you will be in a much better position.