Protecting your eyes from Blue Light emitting devices

Currently there are several  studies revealing the dangers of blue light emitted from digital devices as well as LED lighting. It has been stated that 90 percent of Americans use digital devices for at least two hours every day. Also, as many as 60 percent of people use a device for more than five hours per day. While being connected is a part of everyday life, all of this screen time means you’re probably experiencing computer vision syndrome, or digital eye strain.

• 67% people in their 30's  spend 5 or more hours each day on digital devices. Children are not much better, about 33% of them use a digital device 3 or more hours each day!

• 92% millennials use a secondary screen while watching the TV screen (for 3/4 of them, it's a smartphone)!

• 87% people in their 20's use 2 or more digital devices simultaneously!

• 73% adults under 30 have the highest rate of digital eyestrain symptoms. This mammoth stat is no surprise given how much of a millennial's day if spent with their eyes fixated on a computer, tablet, or smartphone screen!

• Millennials watch 3x as much TV online as do older viewers. Millennials also like to binge-wathc TV show, often on a computer!

• Nearly 80% of parents report being "very" or "somewhat" concerned about the impact of digital devices on developing eyes!

• Nearly 90% of patients do NOT talk to their eyecare professional about their digital eyestrain discomfort!

Digital eye strain is the physical discomfort you feel after sitting in front of a screen for too long. You can feel symptoms in your eyes, including blurred vision and red, dry or tired eyes, and in other parts of your body, such as back pain, sore neck and headaches. And, while you’re staring at the screen, you’re also exposing your eyes to light sources that emit harmful blue light, which is the high energy waves found between 415-455 nanometers (blue-violet light).

Blue light is everywhere, but it isn't all bad. Beneficial blue light helps regulate the sleep/wake cycle and also plays a role in basic functions of the human brain such as alertness, memory, emotion, and cognitive performance. Harmful Blue Light, on the other hand, comes from sources like smart phones, computer screens, tablets and fluorescent lights, and yes, the sun. Long term-exposure to Harmful Blue Light has been linked to an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness for adults over age 50.

There is something you can do to protect your eyes and it’s as simple as visiting your optometrist to learn about new lenses designed to address modern vision needs. Even if you don’t have any vision issues, we have new innovatively designed lens options to prevent digital eye strain and reduce your exposure to Harmful Blue Light by at least 20 percent, through a feature called blue filter treatment. This feature is either built into the lenses, or as part of an Anti-Reflective treatment.

Here at Uptown EyeCare and Optical, these are just a few of the available features we offer, Essilor's Eyezen™+, Crizal® Prevencia™, Shamir's Glacier Blue™ UV  as well as HOYA’s Recharge™.  All of our ABO-certified opticians would be happy to explain the benefits of protecting your eye health from blue light damage. Consider these advanced technology features next time you are investing your money into a new pair of eyeglasses and don't take digital eyestrain for granted so it does not take a toll on your eyes, and your eye health!