blue light compared to other types of light, packs greater energy, generating retinal which is toxic to photoreceptor cells in the retina. “ Blue light appears to damage retinal cells

Living in such an advanced age, each of us, on average, spends roughly 25 hours every week staring at the screen of one of our electronic devices. To put this in perspective, that means that each of us spends more than one entire day, without sleeping, in front of devices that emit blue light that is proven to do serious damage to our visual system. Eyestrain, headaches and fatigue are common side effects. Even more alarming, recent studies indicate that blue light exposure has the potential to increase the risk of macular degeneration significantly over time. Those with a history of macular degeneration are at special risk, as well as children, due to large pupils and shorter arms, which cause them to hold electronic devices closer to their faces, both of which allow more blue light to penetrate the eye.

Recharge is another cutting edge option to help cut down on the harmful effects of blue light. Novax is the advanced eye care company that produces these lenses, which reflect up to 50% of harmful blue light away from the eye.

Between the filtering effect of BLUV and the reflective properties of the Recharge coating, a large percentage of otherwise very harmful blue light never reaches the eye. This is an extremely important element in the long term health of your eyes.

Patients who spend hours on electronic devices are at increased risk of eyestrain and glare, macular degeneration or problems falling asleep at night. For more information about blue light and how to protect yourself, contact your eye doctor today.

What is blue light?

Not all colours of light have the same effect. Blue wavelengths—which are beneficial during daylight hours because they boost attention, reaction times, and mood—seem to be the most disruptive at night. And the proliferation of electronics with screens, as well as energy-efficient lighting, is increasing our exposure to blue wavelengths, especially after sundown.

*Protect yourself from blue light at night Use dim red lights for night lights. Red light has the least power to shift circadian rhythm and suppress melatonin. *Avoid looking at bright screens beginning two to three hours before bed.

*If you work a night shift or use a lot of electronic devices at night, consider wearing blue-blocking glasses or installing an app that filters the blue/green wavelength at night.

*Expose yourself to lots of bright light during the day, which will boost your ability to sleep at night, as well as your mood and alertness during daylight.

Is nighttime light exposure bad?

Some studies suggest a link between exposure to light at night, such as working the night shift, to some types of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. That's not proof that nighttime light exposure causes these conditions nor is it clear why it could be bad for us. But we do know that exposure to light suppresses the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that influences circadian rhythms, and there's some experimental evidence (it's very preliminary) that lower melatonin levels might explain the association with cancer. A Harvard study shed a little bit of light on the possible connection to diabetes and possibly obesity.
The researchers put 10 people on a schedule that gradually shifted the timing of their circadian rhythms.
Their blood sugar levels increased, throwing them into a prediabetic state, and levels of leptin, a hormone that leaves people feeling full after a meal, went down. Even dim light can interfere with a person's circadian rhythm and melatonin secretion. A mere eight lux—a level of brightness exceeded by most table lamps and about twice that of a night light has an effect, notes Stephen Lockley, a Harvard sleep researcher. Light at night is part of the reason so many people don't get enough sleep, says Lockley, and researchers have linked short sleep to increased risk for depression, as well as diabetes and cardiovascular problems.

Cell phones steal your health.

Think about where you take your cell phone. Everywhere, right? Now think about where you go. The grocery store. The restroom. The restaurant. The subway. The office. Now, how often you clean your cell phone? In a 2017 study, researchers analyzed 27 phones. They found a median of over 17,000 bacterial gene copies per phone, including Staphylococcus aureus. An earlier study found that cell phones carry 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats. Solution: Clean your phone frequently with a 60 percent water and 40 percent alcohol solution on a soft cloth. Wash your hands frequently with warm soap and water before using the phone. Is your cell phone stealing from you?

How to Protect Your Eyes From Electronic Devices

Most people use electronic devices for a considerable number of hours during the day and in the evening. What researchers do know is that the blue light emitted from screens can be detrimental to eye health on varying levels of severity.

And, it doesn’t take a team of researchers to know that constant exposure to harsh light does cause eye strain. Here are some convenient and simple ways to protect your eyes from electronic devices that are easy to implement.

1. HOLD YOUR DEVICE AT AN ANGLE

Blue light is emitted straight out from the device. If you hold your device at a 30-degree angle or more, you can measurably reduce the amount of blue light that enters your eyes. To determine the best angle, simply experiment. You’ll be able to physically feel when the strain on your eyes has been reduced sufficiently.

2. WEAR BLUE LIGHT BLOCKING GLASSES

Blue light blocking glasses are made with special spectrum control technology to absorb blue light. Wear these to reduce eye strain and protect your eyes from electronic devices. it's available in our shops at yamout for ones that absorb up between 90 to 99 per cent of blue light.

Of course

the easiest way to protect your eyes from electronic devices is to reduce use. When this isn’t possible, though, these suggestions will help ensure good eye health for years to come. Contact Yamout Optical Center to make an appointment we are ready to support you

BLUE LIGHT

All light is made up of electromagnetic particles travelling in waves. Blue light has a wavelength of between around 380nm and 500nm. This makes blue light one of the shortest, highest-energy wavelengths. The majority of modern electronic devices use Light Emitting Diode (LED) backlight technology to help heighten screen clarity and brightness. These LEDs emit very strong blue light waves. Cell phones, computers, tablets and flat-screen televisions are just among a few of the devices that use this technology. And they are becoming more and more a part of our lives... A 2014 poll by researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 74% of teens aged 12-17 access the internet on cell phones, tablets, and other mobile devices at least occasionally. Children and teenagers (ages 8-18) spend more than 7 hours a day consuming electronic media, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Prior to age 10, children’s eyes are not fully developed. The lens and cornea are still mostly transparent and thus overexposed to light, so overexposure to blue light is made worse for these children.

CELL PHONES STEAL YOUR EYESIGHT

longer average screen time (on phones, computers, and tablets) was associated with shorter sleep duration and worse sleep efficiency. Longer average screen times, while the participants were in bed, were also associated with poor sleep quality, decreased sleep efficiency, and more difficulty falling asleep. The problem is that cell phones (and other technological gadgets) emit blue light, which messes with melatonin, the sleep hormone. It also stimulates the brain and tells it to stay awake. On top of that, if you read something interesting or something that stresses you out, it’s likely to arouse you some more, making sleep harder to capture. Even if you do manage to go to sleep, alerts, vibrations, beeps, reminders, and even a brief light-up in the middle of the night can be enough to wake you up. Solution: Put the cell phone and other screens away at least 30 minutes before bed, and always keep all technology out of the bedroom. No exceptions!

WHY YOUR SMARTPHONE IS DESTROYING YOUR LIFE

Additionally, a visible phone in a social setting measurably decreases the depth of the interaction, creating more superficial social exchanges. We’re so obsessed that there’s now a word to describe a fear of being without your phone: “Nomophobia.” This type of long term heavy use comes at a price. Studies link it to hand, neck, and back issues, anxiety, depression, disrupted sleep, diminished attention span, antisocial behaviour, decreased empathy — the list goes on. So what should we do about this smartphone tsunami that’s wreaking havoc on our lives, bodies, brains, and relationships?

1. Make a decision not to check your phone on a date or while out to eat. Unless it’s an emergency, keep that time between you and your date special. Show the other person that they are more important than an incoming text, phone call, or Facebook notification.

2. Resist the urge to check your phone. If your date goes to the bathroom, for example, and you have a few minutes by yourself, resist the urge to check Facebook, email, or anything else. Consider praying instead. Think of things to talk about when he or she comes back. Contemplate the other person and how things are going. Think of ways to please him or her. Or, just be content to enjoy a few minutes of silence.

Cell phones steal your attention and focus.

You need your brainpower for your writing and other creative projects. You can’t afford to have something messing with that, but that’s just what cell phones do. In a 2017 review on how cell phones impact thinking, scientists noted that the gadgets interfere with our attention and focus in two ways: whenever we “think” about a smart-phone related activity, and feel that compulsion to interact with the device, and whenever we actually use the device, and then engage in a chain of tasks, extending the period of disruption. First, actually using the device. Studies found they using your phone can delay task completion by up to 400 percent! In other words, you start out checking your email, but then you move to checking your Facebook feed, and then you text a friend about something you found, and then your friend sends you something else to look at, and pretty soon you’ve shot 15 minutes without even trying. Second, just thinking about the device. It seems cell phones decrease attention even when we try to ignore them. . Simply hearing the sound or feeling the vibration was enough to distract the participants and decrease their ability to focus.

CELL PHONES STEAL YOUR SLEEP

Effects of blue light and sleep

While light of any kind can suppress the secretion of melatonin, blue light at night does so more powerfully.

Harvard researchers and their colleagues conducted an experiment comparing the effects of 6.5 hours of exposure to blue light to exposure to green light of comparable brightness.

The blue light suppressed melatonin for about twice as long as the green light and shifted circadian rhythms by twice as much (3 hours vs. 1.5 hours). In another study of blue light, researchers at the University of Toronto compared the melatonin levels of people exposed to bright indoor light who were wearing blue-light–blocking goggles to people exposed to regular dim light without wearing goggles.

The fact that the levels of the hormone were about the same in the two groups strengthens the hypothesis that blue light is a potent suppressor of melatonin.

It also suggests that shift workers and night owls could perhaps protect themselves if they wore eyewear that blocks blue light. Inexpensive sunglasses with orange-tinted lenses block blue light, but they also block other colours, so they're not suitable for use indoors at night.

Cell phones steal your positive emotions.

How do you feel after 30 minutes on your cell phone? Pay attention next time you use it, as you could discover something unsettling—that you actually feel worse. Researchers from the University of Illinois found that high engagement with cell phones was linked with anxiety and depression. They noted, however, that results depended on the reason for using the phone. Those who used it simply to fill the time when bored didn’t experience these effects, but those who felt compelled to use it (and had a hard time resisting) did feel worse afterwards. In other words, people more likely to be addicted to their phones are also more likely to suffer from negative emotions because of it. There’s also the social media aspect of it. Researchers have linked “heavy” use of Facebook and other social media platforms to a higher risk of depression. The more time spent on social media, the more likely the participants were to suffer depression.

Cell Phones Increase Stress…

At Least in the Short Term Imagine this: You are sitting with a friend in a coffee shop, waiting for another friend to arrive. Your phone vibrates in your pocket. You grab it, thinking your friend is texting because they are running late. Or maybe you aren’t thinking much more than: “What’s up on my phone?” At that moment, you are responding to your phone. Depending on how many notifications you have turned on with your phone, what apps you let send you to push notifications, your phone might go off a little or a lot in a day, each time demanding a piece of your attention—even if you choose not to respond. Cell-Phone Use - Five Health Impacts Here is another situation: Same coffee shop, this time neither of your friends is there yet. Now, your phone hasn’t made any sounds, it’s not vibrating in your pocket, but you check it anyway—in case your friend has texted you, or to see how many likes your recent Instagram post has, or just to be distracted from the fact you are stuck waiting for a few minutes. Either way, you put your phone down just to check it again. Compulsively checking your phone for updates puts your body in a state of stress.The constant having to respond or wanting to know what’s new is a very new phenomenon, and our bodies aren’t wired for it—remember, the iPhone is only ten years old! We are not used to being on call all the time, and it’s stressful