Valley Laser Eye Centre Logo in White
Book a Consultation

How Blue Light Impacts Your Eyes & Brain – What to Know

There is visible light everywhere, though it’s more complicated than you think. For instance, exposing yourself to sunlight outdoors, flipping on indoor lighting fixtures, scrolling through your phone or other digital devices – these things all have a variety of visible and invisible light rays that have a range of effects to your eyes and brain.

Sunlight contains red, orange, yellow, green, blue light rays and invisible ultraviolet rays that are widely known to be harmful to the skin. The visible colours, however, have varying shades that change depending on the energy and wavelength of the rays or electromagnetic radiation. To that end, we’re here to focus on blue light and how it makes an impact on you.

What is Blue Light?

Blue light is a portion of the visible light spectrum that has the shortest wavelength and highest energy, both of which offer its risks and benefits. During the day, blue light can be beneficial to the brain as it enhances mental acuity, sharpens attention, memory, boosts up energy, and overall mood.

This is because sunlight is the primary source of blue light, which is why the body responds to it positively. Overexposure to blue light, on the other hand, restrains the production of melatonin in the brain, which compromises the quality of sleep and contributes to a variety of adverse health effects such as the following:

  1. Digital Eye Strain: As mentioned in the article, blue light has short wavelengths. Because of this, blue light tends to scatter more easily and is not as focused as other visible light rays. For instance, looking at a computer screen for extended periods emit an unfocused visual ‘noise’ that reduces contrast and leads to digital eye strain. The symptoms include eye fatigue and soreness, both of which can worsen the more your eyes are exposed to sources with high amounts of blue light. Fortunately, researches found that computer glasses that have a yellow-tinted lens can block blue light with wavelengths less than 450 nm (blue-violet light), increasing the contrast exponentially in turn. To that end, people who have a day or night jobs that involve the constant use of computers may benefit from these glasses as it can protect your eyes and increase comfort at the same time.
  2. Macular Degeneration: Blue light has the ability to penetrate the eye’s inner lining of the back of the eye, which is called a retina. Overexposure to blue light, as studies have shown, can result in significant damage to light-sensitive cells in the retina. This can largely contribute to macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of permanent vision loss.

Cutting Back on Blue Light

Blue light is a good thing during the day as it helps facilitate alertness and mental sharpness, but of course, too much of it can disrupt the sleep cycle and cause adverse effects to the eyes. To avoid these negative reactions, there are various ways to minimize the exposure and effects of blue lights on your vision, such as the following:

  1. Use Warmer Lighting: Instead of buying bright white light fixtures for your home, it may be a healthier investment to opt for yellow-tinted LED lightbulbs.
  2. Wear Orange-Tinted Glasses: When your work demands you to sit at a desk and stare at a computer screen for the better part of the day, it’s good practice to wear orange-tinted glasses or at lease use a screen protector to prevent the contribution of blue light to digital eye strain.
  3. Use Screen Filters or Apps: There are various filters or apps in your mobile devices that can eliminate blue light during the night. Consider looking for one that offers multiple colours for your screen, as adjusting it will help comfort your eyes after the sun goes down.

The Negative Effects of Blue Light

The absence of blue light should indicate a time where people should rest. However, modern times and the emergence of other artificial sources of blue light from an LED, fluorescent lights, and screens of electronic devices tend to confuse the brain

If you’re looking to learn more about how blue light impacts your eyes, get in touch with us today to see how we can help.

Share:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

Related Posts

A close-up of a woman's eye

Refractive Lens Exchange vs Cataract Surgery: What’s the Difference?

If you have been researching ways to improve your vision, you may have come across both Refractive Lens Exchange and Cataract Surgery. At first glance, these two procedures can seem almost identical, and in many ways, they are. Both involve removing the eye’s natural lens and replacing it with an artificial intraocular lens to improve vision.

So what makes them different?

The main difference is why the lens is being removed.

In cataract surgery, the natural lens has become cloudy and is interfering with vision. In Refractive Lens Exchange, the natural lens is still clear, but it is no longer providing the quality of vision you want, often because of age-related reading changes, farsightedness, or a desire to reduce dependence on glasses.

driving at night

Can Cataracts Cause Night Glare, Halos, And Trouble Driving?

If headlights seem too bright, streetlights look surrounded by rings, or driving at night feels more stressful than it used to, cataracts may be part of the reason.

Many people think cataracts only cause blurry vision. In reality, they often affect quality of vision even before eyesight seems severely reduced on a chart. One of the most common early complaints is difficulty seeing clearly in low light, especially while driving at night. Glare, halos, poor contrast, and a general loss of sharpness can all make evening driving feel uncomfortable or even unsafe.

a woman getting eye surgery

Can You Have Cataract Surgery If You’ve Had Previous Vision Correction?

The short answer is yes. In many cases, you can still have cataract surgery if you have had previous vision correction such as LASIK, PRK, or other refractive procedures. The more important question is not whether cataract surgery is possible, but how carefully it is planned. Previous vision correction changes the optics of the eye, which means cataract surgery after LASIK or PRK often requires more advanced measurements, thoughtful lens selection, and a surgeon who understands how earlier procedures can affect the final result. 

If you are noticing blurred vision years after laser vision correction, you are not alone. Many patients who once enjoyed excellent distance vision later develop cataracts simply because the natural lens ages over time. A previous refractive procedure does not disqualify you from cataract surgery. It does mean your surgical plan should be individualized. At Valley Laser Eye Centre, that conversation may involve your history ofLASIK,PRK, or other correction, along with your current symptoms, lifestyle goals, and lens options such as those discussed on theCataract Surgery andRefractive Lens Exchange pages.