Blue Light 101: What It Is, What It Does and How to Protect Yourself

We talk a lot about how Eagle Eyes' glasses protect the eyes from blue light, but what does that mean exactly? This blog post aims to break down the basics of blue light: what it is, what it does to your body/vision and how to protect yourself from the negative effects of overexposure. Read on to get the full scoop!

What Is Blue Light?

Within the visible light spectrum, blue light is the range of light with the shortest wavelengths and highest energy output. Before our era of modern technology, we received most of our blue light exposure from the sun. In natural doses, this exposure signals “daytime” to our brain, boosting cognitive function and alertness, as well as playing a role in regulating our body’s sleep cycle. 

However, today, we’re also exposed to blue light via screen-based devices: computers, smartphones, tablets, etc. While the intensity of these blue-light emissions is less than the sun’s, the amount of time that we spend looking at our devices and the close proximity with which we view them is exposing our bodies to unprecedented levels of these wavelengths. The detrimental effects of prolonged, continued blue light exposure have begun to present themselves on a widespread level.

What Does It Do to Your Body?

You’ve probably experienced the short-term effects of overexposure to blue light, especially if you work long hours on your computer. Officially called “digital eye strain,” symptoms can include dry, sore, itchy or watery eyes; headaches; blurred vision; sore neck or shoulders; and disruption in sleep patterns.

Sleep deprivation, in particular, is one of the more dangerous consequences of too much screen time. Poor sleep is known to contribute to a laundry list of health conditions, from short-term cognitive problems to long-term issues like reduced immunity, hypertension, stroke and more.

Though not conclusive, some research suggests that continued, long-term overexposure to blue light may contribute to macular degeneration – a condition that can result in permanent vision loss in the center of one’s field of vision. This is due to the fact that blue-light wavelengths reach all the way to the retina, where the eye’s light-processing cells reside. Some studies show that these wavelengths distort proteins in these cells, which might cause permanent, irreparable damage over time.

Top Culprits

As mentioned earlier, digital devices like mobile phones, computer monitors and tablets all emit blue light. Other sources include LED lights, fluorescent lights, TV screens and e-readers, among others.

How to Protect Yourself

The most obvious answer is to cut back on screen time. Be dilligent about your digital practices: Turn off devices at least an hour before bedtime, try to take breaks from your screens every so often and a good rule of thumb for prolonged exposure is to look away from your screen for 20 seconds, every 20 minutes. 

Those who work on their computer all day long can also invest in blue-light-blocking digital glasses. Eagle Eyes’ DigiTec® computer glasses not only block 99.9% of UV and 56% of blue light emitted from screens, but they also help to improve color contrast and reduce glare to combat the many factors contributing to digital eye strain. On top of that, each pair is fortified with 2X scratch guard to protect lenses from everyday wear and tear.

Our DigiTec® glasses come in a variety of styles. Those without a prescription can choose from our wide array of fashionable lifestyle selections, while those who wear prescribed glasses can opt for our FitOn®, ClipOn or Magnifier specs.