Are digital screens harmful to your vision?

Computers and other technologies are part of daily lives. While the internet can open the universe to us, digital screens can also affect our vision. This begs the question of computer glasses, the one claiming to protect us from screen harmful effects on our eyes.

Are they really effective?

What makes computer screens so harmful?

Who to blame here?

Blue light rays. While the blue light rays from the sun can boost our energy, elevate our mood and regulate our natural circadian rhythm. The artificial blue light emitted from the digital screens can negatively impact our vision, mood, and overall health.

Not all blue light is harmful, too much of the light is the biggest threat right now. Especially, when we are about to sleep. Overexposure to blue light from our computers, smartphones can not only cause daytime fatigue but also disrupt our sleep routine.

Although there’s no strong evidence to prove the blue light impact on our eyes from digital devices, more and more people are noticing a similar pattern. Blue light, high-energy, short-wavelength rays can also complicate our health by causing long-term effects.

Why is blue light harmful?

The sunlight is made up of visible and invisible ultraviolet light rays. Red, orange, yellow, blue, and green are some of the visible light rays that have different wavelengths but are high-energy. While the warmer color rays with longer wavelengths and less energy are on the blue end of the spectrum.

The blue light, unleashed from digital devices is closed to invisible, ultraviolet light on the color spectrum. UV light has the shortest wavelength and is known to be quite harmful. It can cause skin burn, and even lead to cancer. We often try to stay from exposure to UV rays by wearing sunglasses, and sunscreens.

Blue light rays, on the other hand, aren’t too severe or reactive to our bodies. Since blue light rays are close on the spectrum to UV light, they can affect our eyes severely, as claimed by an Ophthalmologist.

Blue light rays are capable of causing temporary and permanent eye problems, along with affecting circadian rhythm, and the development of melatonin in our bodies. Whenever you sit facing digital devices such as laptops, computer screens, or tablets, you expose your eyes to blue light. Within hours of use, you notice few changes in your eyes such as sudden eye-strain, blurry vision, or redness.

Apart from these problems, blue light also causes cumulative damage over a long period of time as it travels through the cornea, lens and reaches the retina. A recent study also showed the toxic effect of blue light on photosensitive cells of the retina, which are irreplaceable. Any damage to the retina can increase the risk of permanent eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration that result in permanent sight loss.

Apart from eye problems, blue light rays penetration in the eyes also suppress the release of the hormone, melatonin. Once the hormone secretion stops, our natural sleep/wake cycle disrupts and we don’t tend to fall asleep at night under the blue light exposure.

More research is needed to determine how much natural and manmade blue light is too much for the retina and how much will lead to eye diseases, such as macular degeneration, later in life.

Meanwhile, here are a few things you can do to prevent long-term damage to your eyes:

Limit screen time - The best to save your eyes from blue light is to avoid or restrict its use. Give your eyes frequent breaks from too much screen time. Instead of working for straight 6 hours a day, take long breaks after every three hours and put your phone in a different room before bedtime.

Computer glasses - Blue light glasses or computer glasses are a modern and advanced solution against prolonged hours of screen time. The lenses of the glasses come with a premium blue light coating that blocks or reflects incoming blue light rays from entering the eyes, thereby eliminating all eye problems and improving our sleeping habits.

Use blue light filters - Even if you have a last-minute temptation of checking your email or scroll through Instagram, turn on the protective blue light filters present on tablets, computers, and smartphones. The blue light filters help to decrease the number of blue light rays.

Read books - Falling asleep can be difficult for most people which makes people switch on their smartphones out of boredom. Try to adopt a healthy habit like reading a book or listening to a podcast to help you sleep faster.

Get the best quality computer glasses, also known as gaming glasses at Specscart. The Manchester-based startup offers premium glasses and sunglasses online at the most affordable price. In addition, Specscart also comes fully-loaded with anti-glare, anti-scratch, and anti-UV coating for free. Go ahead and buy glasses online, starting at only £29.9 with free shipping and returns.