5 Ways to Protect Your Eyes from Blue Light

Blue light – we cannot seem to hear enough about it lately, and any quick search online will result in over 6 billion results related to this subject. And with good reason. Recent studies have shown that the average American spends more than 10 hours a day staring at blue light-generating devices, be it their computer, tablet, or smart phone. Blue light has been shown to cause some serious health conditions like Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), and most of us experience eye strain in some manner each day. So it is important to realize that your eyes can indeed be damaged by too much exposure to blue light, and you may want to take action to prevent and perhaps heal your damaged eyes.

So, what exactly is blue light? Sunlight is made up of a spectrum of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet light. When this multicolor spectrum is combined, it becomes the white light we see that comes from the sun. Each different color of light has its own unique energy and wavelength. Light rays that come from the red end of the color spectrum have longer wavelengths and less energy. Light rays that come from the blue end of the spectrum have shorter wavelengths and more energy. Light that looks white can have a large blue component, which can expose the eye to a higher amount of wavelength from the blue end of the spectrum.

But first the good news about blue light. Sunlight is the largest source of blue light, and some blue light is not only good for you, but necessary. This is particularly in children as natural blue light from the sun helps their eyes grow and develop. Blue light can also boost alertness, elevate your mood, increase your memory, regulate your sleep cycle, and improve cognitive function. However, too much of a good thing is often bad.

Now for the bad news. Too much blue light at higher intensities has been found in some studies to increase the risk of Macular Degeneration, which is the leading cause of vision loss, affecting more than 10 million Americans – more than cataracts and glaucoma combined. At present, Macular Degeneration is considered an incurable eye disease. Another, albeit temporary and less severe risk of too much artificial blue light, is computer vision syndrome which results in headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes, and near-sightedness. Children are much more at risk for these latter symptoms, and will be more likely to require corrective lenses either during childhood or later in life if exposed to too much artificial blue light.

So, what can we do to mitigate the effects of blue light? How do we prevent eye damage, or for those of us with already damaged eyes, how can we repair them? Read on to find 5 ways to prevent and/or repair eyes damaged by blue light.

1. Choose a healthy diet. The antioxidant vitamins in fruits and vegetables contribute to eye health. Kale, spinach, broccoli, peas and other vegetables have high levels of antioxidants, including lutein and zeaxanthin, which may benefit people with macular degeneration or other eye related issues. Eating healthy and organic foods is often the first step to living a healthier life no matter what ailments we experience.
2. Choose a good supplement with the vitamins and minerals the Eye Institute Formulations like NutriCelebrity’s Optimal Eyes  is for adults of all ages concerned with maintaining vision and eye health with a single dose of vegan-friendly formula. It provides a complete vegan-friendly
   formula of phytonutrient extracts and minerals to support vision and eye health, both day and night. Our formula contains clinically researched formulas like Lutemax® 2020 Lutein Zeaxanthin, L-OptiZinc®, and Copper. Order some today.
   
3. Choose a good pair of Blue Light Blocking (BB) glasses. While scientific studies have not proven 100% conclusive on how effective BB glasses are in protecting your eyes, some research has proven they can help block the more harmful blue rays of 400-440nm. Wearing BB glasses can reduce eyestrain when using computers, tablet, and smart phones for extended periods of time. NutriCelebrity is happy to offer both Optimal Eyes and BB glasses in one low cost bundle. Order today to help maintain good eye health and save 15%.
4. Choose a good screen filter. Screen filters for your smart phones and tablets can reduce the amount of blue light your eyes are exposed to on a regular basis. There are also blue light blocking apps and plugins that can help reduce the amount of blue light exposure. You can check out some of the best physical filters, as well as apps and plugins here.
5. Choose an eye rest schedule. Back at the turn of the 21^st century when computers were finally becoming a part of my daily work schedule, I remember the HR department issued out notices for everyone to take a rest from the computer screen every hour for about 15 minutes. This is still sage advice. Given that we are spending on average more than 10 hours each day staring at screens with blue light, it only makes sense that we take breaks. Simply put, the less time you spent exposing your eyes to blue light, the less damage your eyes will incur. Indeed, this is the easiest and cheapest way to protect your eyes from screen time, but is it realistic? Are we really going to have the discipline to set a reminder every hour to take a break? It sounds like many promises I have made to myself to wake up early for a daily run, avoid sodas and donuts at all cost, and eat only fresh fruits and vegetables with minimal grass-fed meats. But to be honest, I cannot seem to keep with the program.

Ultimately, we are going to continue to spend 10 or more hours a day on our screens. We should spend more time outdoors and less time in front of our computers and smart devices, but perhaps the best bet is to have some extra resources by our side to help us push through. We at NutriCelebrity highly recommend our Optimal Eyes supplement and blue light glasses. Order both today and save on our bundle offer. It might just make a big difference in your eyes.