Reasons for Digital Eye Strain: Blue Light?

  As an Optometrist, this is our domain. Please speak your Optometrist for all your options however…

There are definite camps and opinions on the blue light question.  It is less universally accepted than all of the other reasons for digital eye strain. 

In theory, higher-energy, shorter-wavelength blue light emitted from screens is thought to adversely effect the visual system by overloading it with extra energy - like headphones turned up too loud.

The controversy arises because you get far more blue light by being outdoors on a sunny day that you could ever get from a digital device.  So why some folks respond well to blue-blocking lenses at the computer but never previously had issues with sunlight is a part of the confusion.

Lens marketing folks have also twisted the blue-light issue by claiming damage to the inner eye that simply is not true - You are not going to get eye cancer from your screen!

Another confusing lens issue is that most "blue blocking" lenses only actually block ~15% of blue light!   So is 15% reduction actually enough to have an effect? - unknown.   Some blue-blocking lenses block up to 80% but these lenses are typically a yellow hue and cosmetically not acceptable for most people.

It is true that high energy blue light can disrupt your sleep.  So using low blue screens or blue-blocking lenses may be useful for folks that use a screen right up to the moment they go to bed.

So - blue light coatings and filters certainly will not hurt you but it is not something that I recommend clinically as I do not feel the evidence is strong enough.

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