Is blue light from your cell phone, TV bad for your health?

Overexposure to blue light could be hurting your eyes, sleep cycle (SACRAMENTO) — From televisions and smartphones to tablets and gaming systems, most of us are glued to our electronic devices. But is all of that blue light shining from screens harmful to our health? Melissa Barnett , principal optometrist at the UC Davis Eye Center , talks about the effects of blue light and what you can do to reduce the health risk. Using electronic devices at night without adjusting the amoung of blue light that shines from the screen can affect sleep. What is blue light? Blue light is part of the visible light spectrum — what the human eye can see. Vibrating within the 380 to 500 nanometer range, it has the shortest wavelength and highest energy. About one-third of all visible light is considered high-energy visible, or "blue," light. Sunlight is the most significant source of blue light. Artificial sources of blue light include fluorescent light, compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, LEDs, flat screen LED televisions, computer monitors, smart phones and tablet screens. What are the health benefits of blue light? Blue light boosts alertness, helps memory and cognitive function, and elevates mood. It regulates the circadian rhythm, the body’s natural wake and sleep cycle. Sunlight is also important for the growth and development of the eyes and vision in children. Inadequate exposure to blue light can also contribute to the recent increase in myopia , or nearsightedness. Is too much exposure to blue light unhealthy? Blue-light exposure from screens is small compared to the amount of exposure from the sun. However, there is concern about the long-term effects of screen exposure especially with too much screen time and when a screen is too close to the eyes. How is blue light bad for health? […]

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