How To Prevent Eye Damage From Phones

Let’s face it. It’s almost impossible to go through a day without looking at any sort of screen! And that isn’t going to change anytime soon. But will looking at all these screens cause harm to our eyes?

One common myth about eyes is that looking at screens in a dark room will damage our eyes. That myth simply isn’t true. Our eyes are able to handle light very well. But what blue light from phones? Blue light blocking glasses have become the latest rage.

Blue Light

Computers and any other electronic device (phones, tablets) emit a large amount of light. Light bulbs also emit a large amount of light but people generally don’t go staring at lightbulbs. But with computers and cell phones people generally do stare at these devices for long periods of time. Within this light is a whole spectrum of colors. Think of the rainbow. You have your red, your greens and yellows and at the end of the spectrum is blue.

An important discovery was made about blue light. Our body has natural cues that tell us when to go to bed. This is called our circadian rhythm. It was found that exposure to blue light near bedtime can actually disrupt our circadian rhythm! Blue light can cause trouble with falling asleep. Enter ➔ Blue light glasses.

Blue light glasses are designed to block blue light from computers and phones so that the blue light can’t mess with our natural circadian rhythm. By blocking blue light, you can hopefully get a nice good restful night of sleep!

_{Blue light glasses; Image by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash}

That’s about it. The glasses haven’t been shown to do much more than that. Some people feel that it improves their eye strain but just glasses in general can help protect the eye from drying out due to intense concentration on the computer.

To learn more, also check out Does Blue Light Damage Eyes? Well, Actually… on EyeMountain.com

The Real Issue With Phones

The issues with screens and phones come more from prolonged use in front of a screen. Many people work long hours on their computer and browse social media on their phones throughout the day. When we spend time staring at something, we don’t blink as often. Blinking is important for the eyes to replenish the tear film that coats and protects the eye. If the eye goes too long between blinks then the tear film can evaporate away and the eye can dry out more.

Dry eye is the real main issue for adults looking at screens! Once you recognize that staring at your phone and computer can dry your eye out, you can take steps to help prevent that issue. This involves taking breaks throughout the day and/or potentially using a few more artificial tears at your work desk. Starting an omega-3 supplement to make the tear film last longer in between blinks can also be helpful. Fortunately there are many different ways to keep you connected to your computer and devices without causing any harm to your eyes.

Also check out Is Reading On A Tablet Bad For Your Eyes? on EyeMountain.com

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