Do you find your eyes dry, sore, and tired after a long day working on your computer, attending your online classes, or having fun with a video game session? If so, you may have an ocular discomfort known as digital eye strain. This condition consists of a range of visual symptoms that, according to The Vision Council, about 60 percent of Americans experience.

How Blue Light Affects Your Eyes

Many people are spending more time on their electronic devices these days. That’s why it’s even more crucial to pay attention to how blue light emitted from your smartphone, computer, or tablet can impact eye health.

As the name suggests, blue light is a type of visible light generally perceived as blue. Although it’s also possible for the blue light to be present, even the light seems white or perceived in another color. Blue light has a wavelength between 400 and 450 nanometers.

Blue light is a concern because it has more light energy than red or other colors in the visible spectrum. As a result, blue light can potentially cause damage when absorbed in high enough doses by various cells in the body. It’s important to note that the high-energy blue ray is closely linked to eye light damage. Research suggests that excessive exposure to blue light can result in digital eye strain, which may be indicated by sore, irritated eyes, and difficulty focusing. It’s also known to sabotage your internal clock and affect the quality of sleep. Studies also suggest that long-term exposure to blue light can cause retinal damage, leading to vision problems like age-related macular degeneration.

Protecting Your Eyes With Blue Light Lenses

Digital screen protection is key to keeping your eyes healthy. If you can’t avoid staring at your electronic devices for at least a couple of hours, blue light lenses can help. Blue light glasses have filters in their lenses that prevent blue light from getting through. Using this type of glasses when looking at your smartphone or computer can reduce exposure to blue light waves. This is particularly helpful if you use your gadget during the day for work or when studying. Blue light lenses can also prevent the light from your screen from keeping you awake at night.

When choosing the right pair of blue light glasses, go with the pair with amber lenses. Unfortunately, clear lenses can’t adequately block blue light. However, when light passes through colored lenses, the filter lets the wavelengths of similar color pass through while absorbing the other colors. This means that glasses with amber-colored lenses will absorb the blue light and keep it from being absorbed by your eyes. Besides, red and other visible lights with longer wavelengths have been found to have the least bearing on the normal sleep cycle.

Are you looking for blue light lenses? At West Texas Eyecare in Fort Stockton and Pecos, Texas, we can get you the right pair of glasses and help you find relief from eyestrain and other eye conditions. Call our clinic today at (432) 336-3662 and (432) 445-3662 to book an appointment.