What is Blue Light?
Blue light is part of the High Energy Visible Light (HEV) spectrum. This spectrum is adjacent to the UV spectrum, Blue Light has shorter wavelengths which means the light has a high energy.
Blue Light can be both beneficial and harmful to our health and this is called the Dualism of Blue Light, according to Zeiss.
What are sources of Blue Light?
Blue light is naturally part of sunlight but is also found in many artificial sources of light such as fluorescent and LED lighting, TV’s and digital devices.
Advantages of Blue Light
Blue light is important for basic illumination, regulating circadian rhythms and improving moods and well being.
Disadvantages of Blue Light
Some research suggests that blue light may be harmful to the internal structures of the eyes, such as retinal cells. This is due to the absorption of this high intensity light and the energy that it emits.
Blue Light can also cause eye strain and the theory behind this is that blue light also scatters more easily than other light making it harder to focus.
How do Blue Light glasses work?
Specialised Blue Anti-reflective coatings such as Zeiss Duravision BlueProtect reflect a certain range of Blue Light away from the eyes to reduce potential damage and increase visual comfort. This coating does not reflect ALL blue light ensuring that you still benefit from the natural advantages but lower the amount of blue light to a more comfortable level for the eyes.
Zeiss Duravision BlueProtect is available on most lens designs, this coating is also 100% UV protective and has excellent anti-scratch properties.
Enquire at your local Mullers Optometrist practice for more details!
We do recommend a full eye examination before prescribing BlueProtect lenses to determine if there are any other underlying factors that are leading to eyestrain and fatigue, especially when working on the computer.
Always remember the number one tip is to take regular breaks from the screen!