What is Blue Light? 

The sunshine that we’re exposed to when out and about in the greater Boston, MA area can be both harmful and beneficial to people’s vision. It’s important to know when and how you should protect your eyesight. To that end, you’ll want to become familiar with what blue light is.

You should also understand why your optometrist urges you to be cautious and take steps to protect your eyes from blue light coming from the sun as well as from artificial sources of light like computer monitors.

How Your Eye Doctor Near Boston Can Help You Protect Your Vision from Blue Light

Any eye doctor near Boston will tell you that blue light can have both positive effects and negative effects.

You probably already know that sunlight can harm your skin if you don’t use sufficiently strong sunscreen and it can damage your vision if UV radiation is not filtered by sunglasses.

The white light from the sun is actually made from a spectrum of the colors red, yellow, orange, green and blue rays. Light rays on the red side of the spectrum are longer and less energetic than rays from the blue end, which are shorter and pack more of an electromagnetic punch. This is why we wear UV-protective sunglasses.

While a moderate amount of ultraviolet light is beneficial because it helps the body produce vitamin D, too much exposure can actually lead to eye damage.

Consider the screens of your smartphone and computer monitor that you stare at all day while at work, school or at home while surfing the news and catching up with online entertainment. The blue light that is emitted from these sources makes it hard for the eyes to detect contrast, leading to a syndrome known as digital eyestrain.

After a consultation, your optometrist can help you preserve your vision by recommending blue light filters for your various screens as well as computer glasses that will further cut down on the amount of blue light hitting your eyes.

Make an Appointment for an Eye Exam at Eyes Over Copley Today

For more information on how blue light affects your vision or to make an appointment for an eye exam with Dr. Patricia Fox, your optometrist in Boston, MA, please connect with Eyes Over Copley today at 617-859-0630. 

Have you or a loved one been experiencing digital eye strain and suspect that it is being caused by too much exposure to blue light? Let us know in the comments section below so your fellow patients can compare notes.

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