Blue light surrounds us every day. Whether emitted from the sun, your television screen, your computer monitor, or your smartphone, the high-frequency rays bombard your eyes daily and can be detrimental to your ocular health. Because blue light emanates from the technological tools we use, excessive screen time makes a very real difference in health, especially your vision.
Unpleasant side effects of blue light can be subtle. Some of the most common ones are:
- Light sensitivity
- When you look away from the screen, are you having difficulty seeing or find yourself squinting due to the difference in lighting?
- Itchy or red eyes
- Are you rubbing your eyes because they are itchy? Do you find yourself using products to reduce redness or swelling around your eyes?
- Blurry vision
- Can you see clearly or is the world blurry when you look up from your phone? Do you have to take more time often to focus?
- Dry eyes
- Do your eyes feel like they have sand in them? Are you putting in drops excessively? Do you find yourself blinking more?
- Headaches
- Are you experiencing pain behind your eyes? Are you finding tension in your neck and forehead?
- Sleep problems
- Are you having trouble falling asleep? Are you waking up throughout the night?
All of these are symptoms of blue light exposure. However, all is not lost; the detrimental effects of blue light can be managed with proper behaviors. You can reduce eye strain by simply changing your routine in small ways.
Take a moment and close your eyes. The Canadian Ophthalmological Society (C.O.S.) recommends that when your job requires that you stare at a screen, be sure to take a break for 20 seconds and stare at something in the distance for 20 seconds.
According to The C.O.S., “while watching tv, the lighting in the room should be noticeably dimmer – by about 50 percent – than the illumination of the screen.” Professionals recommend watching tv directly in front of you with lighting that does not reflect on the screen or cause a glare.
Wear sunglasses – the sun emits the bluest light of any source. Blue light filtering eye protection has been developed, too.
If too much screen time causes dry eyes, you may look for a supplement to help hydrate your eyes. Viteyes offers a Tear Support formula that protects and stimulates tear production to help increase hydration to the eyes.
