Page 100 - South Mississippi Living - January, 2020

In today’s world, people of all ages spend a lot of time looking at screens that emit blue light. Is it harmful to eyes and how much is too much? According
to the American Academy of Ophthalmology and some local ophthalmologists, the evidence is still inconclusive.
HEALTHY LIVING
BLUE LIGHT
“There are only theories about this topic and the results of research or studies are still inconclusive at this point,” said George Thurber, M.D.
Rainna Bahadur, M.D. with
Eye Associates of the South, explains that light is all around us. “Overexposure to blue light and UV light rays from the sun does raise the risk of different eye diseases, such as cataracts and macular degeneration. The good news is that the amount of blue light coming from our devices is quite small,” she said.
Bahadur says using devices doesn’t damage our eyes permanently, but staying on them for long periods
of time can cause issues. “The eyes become strained and can become
dry from a delayed blink reflex. Symptoms of dry eyes include blurring of vision, tearing, and burning. Eye strain can cause headaches, as well.”
She stresses that one big issue from the light emitted from devices is that the light can
affect sleep patterns and, in turn, affect how we function if we are sleep deprived. “The blue light can decrease the quality of sleep and the length of sleep,” she added.
“It affects our natural circadian rhythms. The light actually decreases the body’s production of melatonin, the hormone that controls our sleep/wake cycle.”
Bahadur has some suggestions for relieving eye discomfort. “First off, we can limit our screen time. Also, when using devices, we need to take frequent breaks. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends the 20-20-20 rule. Look away from your screen every 20 minutes, look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Limit
story by Lynn Lofton
screen time for kids. Studies have correlated increased screen time with increases in ADHD behavior, obesity, and an increase in myopia (near-sightedness).”
If you feel you are suffering from dry eye symptoms, see
your ophthalmologist to have
this discussed and treated, she recommends. “Dry eyes can cause issues with contact lens wear and damage the overall health of
the eye. Keep your distance. It
is recommended that you sit 25 inches (arm’s length) away from your screen and look slightly down at it.”
The Academy does not recommend any special eyewear for computer use. “It’s not necessary to spend money on special eye wear for computer use,” the spokesman, Rahul Khurana, M.D.,said, “because blue light from computers will not lead to eye disease.”
American Academy of Opthalmology
www.aao.org
Blues
100 | January 2020
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