Blue Light: What You Need To Know

Blue Light - What You Need To Know | BETAFIT PPE Ltd

Blue light is all around us – it beams out of the smartphones we have glued to our hands, the computer monitors we view all day at work, and also our TV screens when we have some downtime in the evenings. Whether in our personal lives or our working lives, artificial sources of blue light are always present.

Tired eyes are the main symptom of excessive exposure to blue light, but retinal diseases can also be a damaging side-effect. Let’s have a look into the properties and hazards of blue light, to try and identify some ways in which you can protect your eyesight.

What is blue light?

In scientific terms, blue light falls on the electromagnetic spectrum between 400 and 500 nanometres in wavelength. It is on the visible part of the spectrum, which means we are exposed to it on a daily basis. Blue light is naturally emitted by the sun, as well as being found in artificial light emitted by LED lamps and screens.

Electromagnetic Spectrum | BETAFIT PPE Ltd

Blue light isn’t all bad

Whilst we tend to associate blue light with tiredness and damage to the eyes, it does have beneficial properties too. Blue light helps to regulate our biological clock – the strength of the blue light in the sun is used by the body in determining whether it is day or night. The rays within the blue light stimulates and controls the production of the hormone melatonin, which regulates sleep. This hormone is also associated with feeling well and alert.

Danger to the eyes

The main reason blue light is more hazardous than any other form of light is due to its short wavelength. This means that it stores more energy, and can therefore cause more damage. With the rise in the use of computers, tablets and phones, we are living in a generation that is more exposed to blue light than ever before.

Risks of blue light

It is important to know about the dangers of blue light. If you find yourself having any of these symptoms it may be time to consider reducing your exposure to blue light.

  1. Eye fatigue – the main cause of this is due to the flicker that blue light produces. Symptoms include impaired vision, dry or irritated eyes, and headaches.
  2. Sleep disorders – this is why it is advised to reduce the amount of time you spend looking at your phone before bed. Artificial blue light alters the secretion of melatonin, which can lead to insomnia.
  3. Macular degeneration – age-related macular degeneration is when you start to see a blurred or distorted area in your vision. If left untreated, it can lead to eye diseases and eventually blindness.

Garda Indoor/Outdoor Anti-Scratch Safety Eyewear | BETAFIT PPE Ltd

 

How can you protect your eyes?

If you are working in an industry where you are exposed to screens for a long period of time, we would advise you to wear safety eyewear that reduces harmful blue light. This is also applicable to those who work in environments that contain LED lighting. Other products that can be used include “filter screens” that can be laid over computers or devices, and block or reduce the blue light emitted.

We hope this guide has been useful, but if you have any further questions regarding blue light and how to protect your eyes, please contact us on 08455 444 000, or email [email protected]. If you would like to have a look through our product range for relevant products, we recommend looking for safety eyewear with Indoor/Outdoor lenses, such as the Garda EW2606. This lens is lightly tinted, designed to reduce the glare of bright lights and can help reduce the strain on your eyes.