Today’s world can hardly operate without digital gadgets. Their uses range from major operations like launching rockets into space to minute tasks like alarms to wake you up in the morning. However, there is a downside to having all these gadgets running our lives. Light from digital devices like tablets, smartphones, computers, TV screens, and fluorescent bulbs emit harmful blue light that causes a number of health problems and that requires the use of means blue light glasses.
What is Blue Light Anyway?
The sources of blue light are the sun and artificial devices, with the sun being the main source. The light that we receive from the sun and devices is the visible light and it’s made up of differently-colored rays that combine to make white light. They include red, orange, yellow, orange, green, blue, indigo, and violet. On the red end of the spectrum, the light has longer wavelengths and less energy while the blue end has light with shorter wavelengths and high energy. On this electromagnetic spectrum, blue light falls between the 380nm and 470nm wavelengths.
What Makes Blue Light So Harmful?
Effect on Sleep
The role of blue light from the sun is to regulate your internal body clock and its length is 24 hours which is a direct reflection of how long the day is. Overexposure to blue light from artificial devices throws off this natural cycle.
Your eye’s retina has photoreceptors that detect the presence and absence of blue light. At night when there is no blue light, the brain triggers the release of melanopsin, the hormone that lulls you to sleep. At sunrise, blue light penetrates the melanopsin, a photoreceptor at the center of the retina, and it sends a signal to the brain to stop the release of melatonin. This is when you are roused from sleep.
Exposure to blue light especially at night completely upsets the way the body was meant to operate. When you stay up working on your computer or catching up on a series on Netflix, your body continues to be exposed to blue light and it assumes it’s still daytime. The secretion of melatonin is withheld and you remain awake and alert. If this goes on for too long, your internal body clock is readjusted to become longer than 24 hours so you end up suffering from chronic insomnia.
Effect on Your Eyes
Blue light is a high-energy light and if your eyes are exposed to excessive amounts of it, they suffer damage. It causes digital eye strain which is a condition characterized by sore, dry, tired, and red eyes, blurred vision, headaches, neck, and shoulder pains. Digital eye strain makes working on your devices an unpleasant experience and makes you less productive.
Another condition that results from overexposure to blue light is macular degeneration. It’s an age-related condition where the cells of the retina slowly get damaged. Blue light accelerates the appearance of this condition even when you’re still young. If it’s not treated quickly, it can descend to blindness.
Effect on Your Health
Blue light raises the risk of developing some diseases like heart disease, depression, obesity, and even some types of cancer. A lot of these diseases develop because of diminishing sleep quality since poor sleep weakens the immune system. Sleep is vital to the proper functioning of your body so if you don’t get enough, then your health also declines.
Blue light also accelerates the aging of your skin in a process known as photoaging. Because of its high-energy content, it damages DNA in the skin and causes the breakdown of elastin and collagen which keep your skin firm. This causes the loosening of your skin and wrinkles to appear. It also causes the appearance of age-spots, especially in areas at the side of your face where you hold your phone when calling.
Anti-blue Light Screen Protectors for Your Monitor
In light of all the negative effects of excessive exposure to blue light, it is important that you protect yourself from it. You can do this by installing a monitor screen protector. You can either go for the bulky overhang type or the more recent adhesive films that you can stick on your monitor.
Blue light screen protectors are designed to block light that falls in the 380nm-470nm wavelength range from reaching your eyes. They can block all or partial blue light depending on your preferences. Before purchasing one, do a blue light filter test to find out how much blue light is blocked and it will help you choose which one is best for your needs.
If you’re looking to have a crystal clear viewing experience and still protect your eyes from blue light, the blue light filter for mac is what you need. Ocushield products are optometrist-tested to ensure you get a full night’s sleep and are saved from the health hazards that come with blue light.
Other Benefits of Screen Protectors
Anti-glare Coating
Another reason you may suffer from digital eye strain is because of the glare on your screen monitor. When light reflects on your screen, it makes it harder to see your display clearly and you end up straining. The solution that most people use to get rid of glare is to crank up the screen’s brightness which exposes the user to even more blue light. Screen protectors absoyhrb the reflection of light so that you don’t have to struggle to see.
Privacy
If the nature of your job involves you handling confidential information, the privacy screen that comes with screen protectors is very good for you. It will help you guard your client’s information against getting into the wrong hands.
Excess blue light is bad for you so a screen protector is the right way to go to save yourself the trouble of having to deal with the consequences.
