Light is a permanent fixture of our lives that comes from many artificial or natural sources. For 365 days in a year, light enables us to see, but it isn’t all good. Case in point, the detrimental effects of UV rays have been extensively documented over the years. But what about visible light? The visible spectrum of light is the one that allows our eyes to form images.

In this spectrum, the high energy and short wavelength blue light forms about one-third of all visible light. We are naturally exposed to blue light by the sun during the day while at night, fluorescent lighting, smartphones, laptops and other gadgets prevail. Blue light has since become a major cause for concern with people wondering whether blue light can damage eyes.

Blue light undeniably has both positive and negative effects on our body. It’s the part of the light that best enables us to see with high visual acuity, boosts alertness and helps regulate our sleep cycle. However, blue light in excess can be very harmful to many parts of the eye and seriously affect future visual capacity. Unfortunately, despite the fact that the eye is quite good at blocking UV light, that’s not the case with blue light.

Virtually all blue light passes through the eye unhindered and reaches the retina. This makes sense because the eye isn’t designed to completely block part of the very light that enables you to see. But this lack of hindrance means that blue light will cause insidious, cumulative and possibly permanent damage to your eyes if you do nothing about it. So, can blue light damage eyes? Yes, and here’s how.

Blue Light Can Damage the Photosensitive Cells of the Eye

Excessive exposure to blue light has been shown to damage the photosensitive cells of the eyes that include rods and cones. Studies done on mice have proved that cumulative exposure to blue light can damage the photoreceptors of the eye. It also causes accumulation of fluid in the retina as well as rupture and leaking of tiny blood vessels in the photoreceptor level of the macula. The final result is changes that resemble those seen in macular degeneration.

Macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss and it is caused by the deterioration of the central portion of the retina, the macula. This is the most light-sensitive part that’s responsible for focusing central vision in the eye. In this case, you’re left with permanently blurred vision as the best case scenario and permanent blindness as the most likely result.

Blue Light Causes Eyestrain

The high energy blue light waves have been heavily implicated in digital eye strain or computer eye strain. These High Energy Visible (HEV) or ‘blue’ light waves tend to scatter more in the eye. This scattering or flickering happens due to the fact that blue light waves are shorter and have more energy than their longer, weaker counterparts. Due to the flickering, there is a glare which diminishes your visual acuity and clarity. Eventually, you experience significant eyestrain that may be accompanied by headaches and mental fatigue. Eyestrain caused by blue light is mainly experienced by people who are constantly looking at a computer screen or any other device that emits blue light.

Blue Light Can Cause Eye Cancer

Another major reason to be wary of blue light is that it has been implicated in the formation of intraocular (uveal) cancers. HEV light has been proved to significantly increase the rate of cell division which is associated with the development and growth of cancer. In some animal studies, blue light has caused the development of uveal cancer in animals which had no previous evidence of cancer. In other models, an existing uveal cancer drastically increased its rate of cell proliferation in response to blue light. Blue light can damage eyes to the extent that it has the potential to cause cancer. It’s therefore a good idea to limit your exposure to it as much as possible.

Those Vulnerable to Eye Damage by Blue Light

Children under 9 years old are very susceptible to damage of the photoreceptor cells by blue light. This is because they possess very little protective macular pigment in their eyes that reduce the amount of light reaching the retina. Consequently, not even a little blue light is filtered out hence extensive damage may be done if their eyes experience over-exposure to blue light. You should, therefore, restrict the use of computers, phones and other handheld devices, especially in dim lighting in order to protect their eyes.

A protective pigment in the eye is melanin, which is brown. The amount of melanin pigment in the eye determines the colour of the eyes. Less melanin means that the eyes are more vulnerable to damage by blue light. For this reason, those with blue eyes are more susceptible to cataracts or macular damage since they have the least amount of melanin in their eyes. Green eyes have a larger amount of melanin and are less susceptible. Hazel and brown eyes show the least susceptibility.

Conclusion

From the above, it’s evident that blue light can cause a great deal of harm to your eyesight. But don’t fret, there are a number of ways you can safeguard your eyesight by filtering out blue light. You can check out our screen protectors, protective glasses and other products here at Ocushield to quickly get some protection for your eyes.

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How to manage blue-light exposure to protect sleep and health

When I’m trying to live my best, healthiest life—and most of us are—I pay daily attention to how I’m treating my body. I watch the food I’m eating, and the exercise I’m getting. I pass on that third glass of wine, and set my alarm to make it to spin class a couple times a week.

But how much thought should we all give to light exposure? I tell all my patients: light is medicine. Just like you wouldn’t expect to eat junk food all day every day and feel healthy and at your best, you can’t consume all kinds of junk light, all the time, and expect to feel, sleep, and perform well. Managed well, light exposure can boost performance, improve sleep, and increase energy. In today’s lit-up world, being a savvy, informed consumer of light can help you protect your health and sleep, and help you function at your best during the day.

In the modern world, light is everywhere we turn, and we have to actively seek out darkness. There’s also more blue-wavelength light than ever. This short-wavelength light is plentiful in many energy-efficient light sources and digital devices.

Why is blue light significant? Read on to learn about both the hazards and the benefits of blue light.

How nighttime blue light interferes with sleep

I’ve seen an avalanche of evidence in recent years about the potential hazards of blue-wavelength light. (I talked about blue light exposure, and how to manage it, on CBS This Morning recently.)

Scientific studies have pinpointed blue light as form of light that’s especially aggressive in triggering sleeplessness. Blue light suppresses melatonin production for more than twice as long as other light wavelengths, and alters circadian rhythms by twice the degree. Interference with the body’s 24-hour circadian rhythms can have a significant effect on health, creating problems with the cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune systems, disturbing mood, and compromising cognitive function. When your circadian rhythms are out of whack, you think, feel, and perform below your best—and over time, your health can be put at risk.

New research adds to this already large body of evidence of the power of blue light to interfere with sleep. The study of healthy young adults found exposure to blue light from computer screens between the hours of 9-11 p.m.:
1. shortened their total sleep time
2. significantly suppressed melatonin production
3. diminished sleep quality, by increasing the frequency of nighttime awakenings

Researchers also found blue light prevented body temperature from dropping during the night. A gradually lowering body temperature is one key element of the body’s progression into sleep. That blue light kept body temperature elevated to daytime levels is a sign of the degree to which nighttime blue light exposure can disrupt normal circadian rhythms. After nights of blue-light exposure, participants were more tired during the day, and experienced more negative moods.

The study compared the effects of blue light and red light, a longer wavelength light. Scientists found red light exposure during the same two-hour evening time period did not interfere with sleep and circadian biology. Body temperature lowered, and sleep progressed as normal.

The takeaway? Nighttime blue light exposure is indeed harmful to sleep and circadian rhythms. And taking steps to manage blue light exposure—including using red light sources during evening hours—can make a real difference.

When blue light is beneficial
While a hazard to health and sleep at night, blue light exposure can be helpful during the day—especially in the morning and early afternoon. Research shows exposure to blue-light during daytime hours can be beneficial in several ways, including:
• Reducing daytime sleepiness
• Speeding reaction times
• Elevating alertness
• Strengthening attention span

Research suggests we don’t need prolonged exposure to blue light to achieve its benefits. A study found 30 minutes of blue-light exposure in the morning led to better working memory performance and faster reaction times, compared to other light exposure.

Part of managing light exposure in today’s world is understanding how light can be used to enhance performance and support good health and sleep.

Ways to regulate blue light exposure
New scientific advancements and technology are helping to provide more ways than ever to tailor, target, and manage light exposure, to reduce health hazards and also to take advantage of the benefits of well-timed light exposure to health and performance.

Carotenoid supplements. Research suggests carotenoid supplements may help strengthen the eye’s natural ability to block blue light. The eye has its own blue-light shield—it’s called the retinal pigment epithelium, a thin layer of cells near the retina. This epithelial layer protects the retina against macular degeneration, and acts as a filter for blue-wavelength light. The cells of this layer contain carotenoids, which we absorb through our diet. Research indicates carotenoids are effective at absorbing blue-wavelength light. Carotenoids including lutein and zeaxanthin are available in supplement form, and may help protect the eye and also may help protect against the unwanted stimulating effects of blue light exposure at the wrong times.

Blue light filtering software and apps. There are a number of apps that work to reduce blue light exposure during evening hours. Many smartphones and tablets include these blue-light filtering apps as part of their operating systems. Apple’s Night Shift is a built-in iOS app, that can be scheduled to shift to warmer, redder wavelength light in the evenings and back to bright, more highly blue-wavelength light in the morning. (Head’s up, iPhone users: the recent software upgrade to iOS 11 has changed the location of the Night Shift app in the phone’s control panel.) Flux is a free software that adjusts light of your computer to match the cycle of natural sunlight where you live, and adjust light in the evenings to reduce brightness and blue light.

Blue-light blocking filters and glasses. Both filters for screens and blue-light blocking eyewear are available, to reduce unwanted, poorly timed exposure.

Targeted, specialty light bulbs. One of the most effective ways to manage light exposure is to use LED light bulbs that provide the specific kind of light that’s best for day and night. Energy efficient LED light bulbs are now made with our circadian biology in mind, designed to minimize the negative effects of blue wavelength light at night—and take advantage of those stimulating effects during the day. In our household, we use Lighting Science’s Good Night® bulbs in the bedrooms throughout our house. We also use their Good Day® bulbs in other places around the house (in my kids bathrooms!). These daytime bulbs are designed to help stimulate alertness and boost focus. I use them in my office, and they’re great in the family bathroom, to give adults—and kids—to get that performance-boosting dose of light first thing in the morning.

It’s not only technology, but everyday habits that make a difference between light exposure that’s healthful and harmful. Remember to:

Get plenty of light exposure throughout the day. Light exposure during the day boosts attention and alertness, improves mood and cognitive function, strengthens circadian rhythms and can help you sleep better at night. Spending 10 or 15 minutes in the sunlight during the day—first thing in the morning, or on a break at lunch—is a healthful, nourishing light routine.

Keep screens away from your face at night. It’s one thing to relax in front of the television for a while during the evening, and quite another to have your head buried in your smartphone right up until lights out. The degree and intensity of artificial and blue-wavelength light exposure matter. As part of your Power Down Hour™, give yourself a mobile device cut-off time. That’s when you’ll stow your phone for charging—somewhere other than your bedside table. The closer you get to bedtime, the less interactive your media consumption should be. Studies show that social media and other highly interactive forms of media (think: video games and app games) are especially disruptive to sleep.

Modern light exposure requires modern solutions and strategies. Pay attention to your “light diet,” and use the help that’s available to make the light in your life work on behalf of your health and well-being.

Sweet Dreams,

Michael J. Breus, PhD, DABSM
The Sleep Doctor™
www.thesleepdoctor.com

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One of the keys to getting good sleep is to have a healthy sleep environment, which is sometimes known as “good sleep hygiene.”

A lot goes into good sleep hygiene—a comfortable mattress and pillow, the right amount of noise or silence, and even the lighting in your room.

Everyone has different needs when it comes to lighting, but if you are trying to narrow down the root cause of your insomnia and can’t figure it out, it could just be that your computer screen or your iPad is to blame.

Scientists are calling this phenomenon “blue light insomnia.”

I have to admit that “blue light insomnia” is a pretty counterintuitive concept to me, which tells me that I am outside the normal curve here, because there’s solid scientific evidence backing this theory up.

Personally I always found bluish light to be “soothing” and warmer hues of light like green to be a bit “harsh” when it comes to sleep, but apparently that is just me.

Research studies back up the idea that blue light is the worst light color for your mood!

and it turns out that lights in the blue wavelength actually disrupt your circadian rhythms!

What are Circadian Rhythms?

Before we can talk about blue light insomnia, we need to talk about circadian rhythms. This is an important biological concept to understand before you can really understand what is going on with blue light insomnia.

When I was in middle school, I vividly remember my first period morning algebra teacher would drag our class outdoors for ten minutes and then bring us back inside. She did this because the sun had finally come up; on the bus ride to school, the sun was still under the horizon or very low in the sky.

She told us that we needed to see the sunlight so we would wake up properly, and that it was unnatural for us to have to wake up before the sun and then sit indoors in our windowless classroom.

It didn’t work for me at all. I was still fast asleep in algebra class—but that’s what happens when you get five hours a night. But I did learn something about science from my algebra teacher, and it stuck with me for the rest of my life.

She taught me about circadian rhythms.

Circadian rhythms are what make you feel alert during the day and sleepy after sunset.

Sometimes the phrase “circadian rhythms” is used interchangeably with the term “biological clock.”

According to the National Institute of Health’s fact sheet on circadian rhythms, circadian rhythms are “physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a roughly 24-hour cycle, responding primarily to light and darkness.”

The cycle isn’t exactly 24 hours for everyone, and your circadian rhythms are driven in part by your biological clock. In short, circadian rhythms are not actually produced by your environment (they are produced by your internal biological clock), but they are affected by environmental signals.

So your body does produce its own rhythm, but light and dark signals in your environment will have an influence. If your rhythms are out of whack, you can experience problems with hormones, bodily functions, mood and (you guessed it) insomnia.

Years later as an adult, I actually do notice the effects of circadian rhythms. I sleep on a more regular schedule and get plenty of sleep most nights, so I have actually established a proper rhythm.

But I noticed throughout the year how they differing hours of daylight can really disrupt my sleep schedule.  

In the winter, when the sun doesn’t come up until later in the morning, I sleep really well! In the summer, when the sun comes up at five in the morning, I sometimes have to cover my eyes to sleep.

And when I do, the sleep I get is always much higher in quality and so much more refreshing than it is if I leave my eyes exposed to the light.

It’s been fascinating finally observing these circadian rhythms my middle school teacher taught me about. And that made me very interested in this blue light phenomenon.

How Does Light Affect Circadian Rhythms and Sleep?

When you start feeling drowsy before sleep, it is because your body is producing a hormone called melatonin. Your body’s master clock is located right above your optic nerves, which means that your body clock is very responsive to changes in optic conditions.

When there is less light, your body clock triggers the production of more melatonin, producing a drowsy state.

RELATED: 14 Ways To Sleep Better Naturally 

When there is more light, your body clock triggers the suppression of melatonin production. This can make you feel more awake—which was why my algebra teacher used to take us outside in the mornings, hoping it would wake us up…and if I’d been getting a regular amount of sleep each night, it would have worked.

The sunlight would have suppressed my melatonin production, and my drowsiness would have abated.

So basically, if you have lights on at night, you are probably disrupting your body’s melatonin production to some degree, which in turn triggers you to feel alert, just as the sun would. And what wavelength of light is the worst? Blue light! According to Harvard researchers, blue light can suppress melatonin for about twice as long as green light. It can shift circadian rhythms by about twice the length of time.

Red lights apparently are the least damaging and will have less of an effect on your melatonin levels than blue or green light.

Blue Light Also Affects Mood

As if that weren’t bad enough, blue light at night presents other dangers to your body and mind. Researchers in 2013 did a study on hamsters to see whether certain colors of lighting has an impact on their mood.

Hamsters exposed to red light at night seemed significantly less depressed than hamsters exposed to blue light at night or even white light (the depressed hamsters skipped out on sugar water, a tasty treat they usually enjoy).

The only hamsters that were better off than those exposed to red light were those that were in darkness.

This is also tied to your body’s master clock. It turns out the same photosensitive cells in your retina that send messages to your body’s clock also send messages to the part of your brain which regulates your emotions.

So while blue light suppresses your melatonin production, it also makes you feel like you’re down in the dumps.

Definitely take your own color psychology into consideration though when you are selecting lighting colors at home. By default, you probably want to choose a red night light or another warm color and steer clear of blue and cooler colors.

But if you have an overly negative association with red light or a very positive, soothing association with blue light, you might do better with blue.

Try red first, though! You may be surprised how well it works.

The Dangers of Modern Life

In our high-tech, constantly connected times, we are in more danger from blue light insomnia than ever! Do you leave your computer screen on all night, projecting that dim indigo glow on your wall? Do you sleep with your iPad on your bedside table? Do you play computer games or watch a lot of television before bed?

Research backs it up

these habits could be depriving you of much-needed rest! Even if you don’t feel like that’s true, it is worth disconnecting and powering down for a few nights to see if it makes a difference. Again, you may be surprised.

There is another hazard in modern times, and that is that we are replacing our warm, incandescent light bulbs with energy-conserving LED lights. While LED lights are better for the environment and for your wallet, be wary of the cooler lights you see for sale. Many LED lights are closer to pure white on the color spectrum than traditional incandescent bulbs. Search for LED lights which are warmer in tone. These are much better for you to use at night.

What Can You Do About Blue Light Insomnia?

Now that you are aware of the blue light insomnia phenomenon, you can do something about it. Some of these suggestions I have already discussed. Here is how you can improve your sleep hygiene and negate the harmful effects of blue light insomnia:

• Replace any blue night lights in your home with red night lights. If you do not like red, at least try to stick with a color which is warmer like orange or yellow.

• Replace cold white lights in your home with warmer-tone lights. When purchasing LED light bulbs, be particularly careful.

• Turn off electronic screens at night, including your television screen, your laptop or desktop screen, and your mobile devices.

• Avoid activities which involve looking at a bright screen 2-3 hours before you head to bed. Instead of playing video games or watching television, consider reading a book or working on a hobby.

• Use good “wake” hygiene too. During the daytime, expose yourself to plenty of sunlight. Open your windows and spend time outside. This will also help to keep your circadian rhythms going.

• Consider not using a night light at all. Many people find they fall asleep more easily and enjoy deeper, more restful sleep in total darkness. Of course, if this is a safety issue for you, you should consider another solution.

• Think about buying a sleep mask. A sleep mask will cost you only a few dollars, and is comfortably designed for nighttime wear. It will block light from your eyes and allow you to sleep soundly. That way you can leave on any lights you choose at night, without exposing your optic nerves. A sleep mask also works great for those summer mornings when the sun gets up before you do.

• Establish a regular sleep schedule. I cannot emphasize this enough. It will do more to establish healthy circadian rhythms than just about anything else. Make sure you are giving yourself plenty of hours to sleep every night, and try to sleep during roughly the same hours every night. This more than anything made a huge difference for me.

Make it your personal challenge tonight to switch off all of your devices and go to sleep in a dark, comfortable environment.

It may be hard turning off your iPad, but once you do, you may never look back!

Say goodbye to blue light insomnia and hell to restful, rejuvenating sleep!

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Nearly two decades into the 21st century, most of us have nightly rituals that include checking our smartphones before bed.

This might not be the healthiest way to end our days. Many eye doctors are concerned about the effects our screen time could have on our vision and our health, and the main cause of that concern is blue light.

What Is Blue Light?

You might remember from your high school science classes that the electromagnetic spectrum ranges from low-energy radio waves to high-energy gamma waves. The colors and light we see make up a very small sliver of this spectrum. Waves of blue light scatter more easily than the others, which is what makes the sky and large bodies of water appear blue.

Blue Light And Our Brains

The main source of blue light is the sun, and our bodies are programmed to respond to that light. During the day, the blue light in sunlight boosts our attention, memory, energy levels, reaction times, and overall mood. It’s the signal to our brains that we should be up and about. Absence of blue light signals that we should be resting.

The problem in modern times is that we are surrounded by artificial sources of blue light that confuse these signals, particularly LED and fluorescent lights and the screens of our electronic devices. Blue light suppresses the release of melatonin in our brains, which leads to a lower quality of sleep, which in turn can contribute to a variety of negative health effects.

Blue Light And Our Eyes

The visible light with the highest intensity is blue light, and just above it on the spectrum is UV radiation. One concern is that, because blue light is so close to UV radiation in wavelength, it might be similarly harmful, particularly to our vision. The screens on our electronic devices may not emit light anywhere near as bright as sunlight (which contains both blue light and UV radiation), but the time we spend staring at our screens is time we spend exposing our eyes to blue light.

It’s not clear yet how much blue light exposure is enough to cause lasting harm to our vision, but it could be contributing to macular degeneration (loss of central vision), a condition normally associated with advancing age. To be on the safe side, we would be wise to limit our exposure.

Cutting Back On The Blue

To avoid blue light’s adverse effects on our sleep cycles, we should avoid looking at screens in the last hour or two before bed. If that sounds difficult, there are other options, all of which can also help with minimizing the effects of blue light on our vision.

• Use warmer lighting in your home by buying more yellow-tinted LED lightbulbs instead of the bright white ones.
• Wear orange tinted glasses that filter out blue light while working at your office computer, or use a screen protector that does the same without altering your entire field of vision.
• Use screen filters or apps on your devices that eliminate blue light. The colors will be very different, but the screen will be easier on your eyes in the late evening.

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