Blue light from digital devices causes eye strain and increased risk of macular degeneration

( Natural News ) A lot has been said about the dangers of mobile devices, but did you know that just looking at them can cause health problems ? Studies indicate that staring at the screen of digital devices, be it your laptop, desktop computer, or smartphone, could increase your risk for macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the U.S. Digital screens emit what is called blue light. In order for you to grasp how it damages the eyes, you have to understand the nature of light itself. Visible light, also called white light, is actually composed of all the colors in the spectrum . On one end of the spectrum is red and on the other is violet – a visible representation of this is the rainbow. The closer the colors are to red, the longer their wavelengths are and the less energy they have. On the other hand, the colors closer to violet have shorter wavelengths but more energy. Blue light covers about a third of the visible spectrum, the part that includes everything from the colors blue to violet. Because of this, it is also known as blue-violet light. Blue light is comparable but weaker than ultraviolet (UV) radiation, the invisible rays beyond violet light. UV has so much energy that it has a direct effect on your body. Get enough of it and you’ll get a tan. Have too much of it and you’ll get a sunburn or worse – skin cancer. Exposing the eyes to UV light is known to increase your risk for cataracts . Digital screens emit small doses of blue light, but constant exposure to it (via you staring at your digital device for extended periods) cause eye strain and eventual damage to the tissues in your eyes. This […]

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