Blue light from the sun and many of your electronic devices contains more energy than other ray colors that make up visible light, such as red. Because blue light provides greater intensity, it causes problems with your eyes. Blue light glasses filter much of this bad energy to protect your eyes from natural and device-generated light sources.

You sometimes hear blue light rays called violet or blue-violet. We call unseen electromagnetic rays further down the spectrum of ray colors ultraviolet (UV). Most people know that overexposure to UV rays causes skin cancer and can also burn your eyes, causing photokeratitis. But only recently have many learned that blue light, although not as intense as UV rays, can also cause damage.
 

Facts and Dangers of Blue Light

Some key facts about blue light and its dangers include:

You Are Surrounded By Blue Light All Day
The primary source of blue light is sunlight. But other sources include:

• Fluorescent lights

• LED lighting

• Flat screen televisions

• Computer display screens

• Laptop computers

• Smartphones and other cell phones

• Tablets

Although the above man-made devices emit far less blue light than the sun, we spend more time looking into these electronics. We also hold the devices very close to our eyes. This creates greater potential for eye damage and other long-term effects for your eye health. Computer users and office workers face the greatest daily exposure, particularly when screens do not feature anti-glare protection.
 

The Human Eye Is Not Made to Block Blue Light

The human eye’s cornea and lens work well at blocking UV rays from the retina, where damage can really occur. Only one percent of these harmful rays reach the retina, even zero percent if you wear UV-blocking sunglasses. But these parts of the eye do not block any blue light.

As a result of blue light breaking through to the delicate anterior eye, about 70 percent of American adults experience digital eye strain. This strain usually occurs because of extensive electronic device use. But by simply using blue light blocking lenses and anti-glare protection, such as prescription blue light glasses, this eye strain does not occur.

Blue light glasses prescribed by your eye doctor protect you from a range of eye health problems, such as:

• Retina damage

• Macular degeneration (AMD)

• Headaches

• Eye strain

• Blurry vision

• Sleep problems
   

Some Blue Light Exposure Is Okay

Blue light actually helps you stay healthy, with moderate exposure from sunlight. It helps you feel alert, promotes sharp thinking, helps memory and boosts your mood. This is why many people need light therapy for treatment of a type of depression called seasonal affective disorder.

Blue light in healthy doses during daytime also helps you maintain a healthy circadian rhythm for good sleep and wakefulness cycles. It is just too much exposure that causes the opposite sleep effects.
 

Blue Light Glasses for Electronic Device and Computer Users

Virtually everyone uses computers, smartphones, tablets, televisions and other devices as part of daily living. This is why blue light glasses are helpful to most people, toward reducing blue light exposure. If you do not need vision correction or wear contacts, your eye doctor offers non-prescription blue light glasses to wear during device use. If you do need vision correction, a pair of prescription blue light glasses can benefit your lifestyle and eye health.

For patients of Clarity Vision locations throughout North Carolina and in Suffolk, Virginia, logical eye protection against blue light includes Shamir lens coatings and BluTech lenses. These protective lenses prevent damaging light from reaching your eyes, blocking up to 98 percent of harmful blue light rays from your handheld devices, computers, and television screens. These specially coated lenses also prevent the same type of damage caused by interior lighting, outdoor lights, and even traffic lights.

As a result of wearing your Shamir or BluTech lenses from Clarity Vision, you maintain a healthier circadian rhythm, too. This means you sleep better at night and feel more alert and awake during daylight hours. You suffer fewer headaches and less dryness in your eyes with fewer incidences of eye strain, too.
 

Where to Buy Blue Light Glasses

Talk to your eye doctor at Clarity Vision about blue light glasses to protect your vision. Clarity Vision locations in North Carolina and Virginia include:

• Apex, NC

• Smithfield, NC

• Holly Springs, NC

• Williamston, NC

• Clayton, NC

• Suffolk, VA

Your nearest Clarity Vision eye doctor offers a broad range of eye health services for the whole family, including a wide selection of designer prescription and non-prescription blue light glasses. Schedule your visit today.