March is the American Optometric Association’s National Save Your Vision Month and this year they’re promoting awareness about digital eyestrain and the impact of so-called blue light on eye health. According to the advocacy group, the average American spends seven hours a day in front of computer screens, smartphones, tablets and e-books, and the blue light these devices emit can cause vision damage, sleep disruption and other problems.
Why is blue light a problem? While sunlight also contains blue light it’s what helps us stay awake and alert during the day exposure from illuminated displays in the evening confuses our brains into thinking it’s still daytime, suppressing the natural secretion on melatonin, a hormone that signals to our bodies that it’s time to sleep.
Here are four ways to minimize or counter the amount of blue light your eyes are exposed to:
- If you use an iPhone, the smartphone’s new “Night Shift” mode can be set to adjust the screen’s color automatically in the evening or late at night. If you use an Android device, there are several filtering apps you can use, like Twilight or CF.lumen. On your laptop, you can use an app called f.lux.
- Smaller screens emit less blue light so using a phone instead of a tablet helps so does reducing the screen’s brightness.
- Use an original black and white e-book, like a Kindle, or we know, this might sound crazy consider reading paper books in the evening (they don’t emit any blue light at all).
- Pick up a pair of amber-tinted goggles you’ll want ones that block blue light below 530 nm. The downside is you may not be very keen on the orange tint. The upside (or not) is that may look like Vin Diesel in The Chronicles of Riddick.
Experts believe you don’t have to stop using your blue-light-emitting devices entirely. Just put them away two hours before bedtime.
Have you noticed your sleep patterns affected by your smartphone or tablet use? Have you tried out any of our tips to lessen blue light exposure? Share your thoughts and experiences with the Shop Talk Blog community forum!
The average Canadian spends seven hours a day in front of computer screens, smartphones, tablets and e-books, and the blue light these devices emit can cause vision damage, sleep disruption and other problems.
Did you know: Daily exposure
Though it may sound counter-intuitive, another way to counter the effects of blue light exposure in the evening is to get more sun exposure during the day. But if you do, don’t forget your sunscreen! (Source)
I have been telling my kids this for along time. When they were little I would tell them to limit pc and tv time, esp. before bedtime.
Now I can hardly get them to put their phones down.
I cover all my blue lights with cardboard to keep the room dark. I turn off my cellphone at night.
Makes perfect sense to me.
I use my phone right before I go to sleep. It helps Me get sleepy.
I have long ago dealt with any possible problems caused by “Blue Light”. How?
Simple: My cell-phone does not emit any Blue Light from its LQD screen.
My cell-phone doesn’t do a lot of other distracting, superfluous things either.
It does not take pictures. It does not chat. It cannot play Pokemon Go or iPhone Zombie Apocalypse, or even Pong. It cannot automatically connect me with 10, 000,000 dubious “friends” on FaceBook or any social media, nor can it give the federal government opportunity to track me, record my every movement, or the coordinates to run a Smartbomb-equipped warhead directly up my arse anytime they so choose.
My cell-phone is only one thing: A communication device that can transmit and receive an actual organic Human voice. That is all I’ll ever need.
No good for the eyes.
Yes I totally understand see me I’m a hard sleeper I can’t sleep so I sleep like 2 hours a day 3 hours a day and then I’m just putting my phone until I fall asleep it’s really I don’t know it’s bad for my eyes but it’s not that I can do but I don’t take pain pills so it’s hard for me to sleep I’ll get it though but on my tablet I do have the blue light and I’m just and start for me so
I have some glasses. Seem to help my eyes from being blurry and seem to rest better when I go to bed from when I don’t use them.
Here I am at 12:01am. Still reading my e’s , knowing full well I know I will not be able to go to sleep. Therefor I will have to take a sleeping pill===4=4Nite Scottie
We don’t have to worry about any gadgets before bedtime. But, what about TV, cars with those blinding blue lights (the ones with the drivers that don’t know that the blue light on their instrument panel mean that their “high beams” are on).
And, speaking of lights! When is the automotive industry going to change their high profile vehicles to comply with those of “ordinary” passenger level vehicles. We are getting blinded out there. There was once a law that made it easier for us who drive a low profile vehicle to not be blinded by oncoming traffic. Or, for that matter, that same law made it necessary to have one’s headlamps checked for proper alignment!
Good article. Will put the phone down before sleep. DoesTV do the same thing?
I liked the information a lot. Would read it on a daily bases.
Very helpful tips…I do experience eye strain after looking at my phone all day
this is useful information and I think I passed with flying colors. I do not have or use a phone that is a problem and I typically wind down in the evening by wrapping things up at the computer and reading an actual book. There is a subdued light (that I’ve covered over, too) on a bedside medical device I cannot move from the room. The phone remains (OFF!) downstairs in my purse. The only light is streetlight (or moonlight) creeping in around the shades and the lighting on the clock radio across the room that shows the time. Having no trouble sleeping and little to no blue-light stimulation aside from the computer, which isn’t in the bedroom and is turned off nightly.
thats good to know
Purchased a pair of reading glasses at Staples that are supposed to filter computer blue light. Been wearing them for about two months and they do seem to help. I purchased another pair for my wife, who is on a computer all day at her work and they do seem to help her a lot., she no longer complains of eye pain at the end of the day. However, they do change colors of other items, especially material, when wearing them at other times, not on a computer.
Helip me sleep at night
Thankyou laying the wiring out
great to know
Help me get some samples never got any before.