Blue Light Is Causing Blindness
STORY AT-A-GLANCE
- Before the advent of artificial lighting, many went to bed and got up with the sun; lighting at night comes at a price as it affects health, interrupting sleep patterns, circadian rhythms and the perpetuation of animal species
- Recent data show blue light from digital devices activates retinal in your eye to attack macular photoreceptor cells, accelerating age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness
- Exposure to blue light also affects your ability to produce enough melatonin to achieve quality sleep, thus increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, obesity and other health problems
- Data show vitamin E reduces damage from blue light; consider using blue light-blocking glasses while using digital devices, using LED lighting with safer rating, and eating foods high in omega-3 fats and anthocyanins to protect your sight
By Dr. Mercola
Before the invention and distribution of artificial lighting, the sun was the major source of light and determined how people spent their evenings. It is easy to take for granted the extended days and added lighting. However, humans and animals are paying a price as it throws off circadian rhythms, interrupts sleep and affects the development of disease and perpetuation of animal species.
Statistics show 77 percent of Americans own a smartphone2
3 Before sharing specifics of how blue light interacts with your eye, let’s quickly review some important eye structures and nutrients for eye health.
How You See
Your ability to see occurs as a collection of structures that help to gather and send information to your brain. One of those structures is the macula, a small area just 2 millimeters wide, located in the back of your eye. The macula is in the middle portion of the retina and made up of light-sensitive cells called cones and rods, which are essential for central vision.
4 The lens focuses the image on the retina. Photosensitive tissue called photoreceptor cells in the retina help convert the light into electrical signals that travel along the optic nerve to your brain where the information is processed, and you “see.”
The light passing through your eyes is in a range of visible and sometimes invisible light rays. Sunlight5
7 Blue light is generally defined in a range from 380 to 500 nanometers.
Without photoreceptor cells in the retina8 This biochemical response is due in part to a molecule called retinol, a form of vitamin A. This is what was studied by the University of Toledo researchers.
Digital Blue Light May Accelerate Macular Degeneration
The study from the University of Toledo found blue light emitted from digital electronics may accelerate AMD. According to the researchers, the blue light affects..................READ MORE
More information from mercola.com