HYDERABAD: Everything has been digitalised in recent years and an individual’s screen time has progressively increased. Many people end up wearing blue-light-filtering glasses as a precaution to protect their eyes. Youngsters rely on these glasses to justify spending a longer period of time in front of a screen. However, the findings of recent research were shocking. According to the study’s analysis, blue-light-filtering glasses are not as effective as previously believed.
Blue light is a portion of the visible light spectrum with a relatively short wavelength. We are exposed to blue light at significantly higher levels due to digital technology. Blue-light-filtering glasses can help with this. These glasses are intended to reduce the amount of blue light that enters your eyes from digital gadgets. Blue light-filtering glasses, which are available with a prescription, efficiently block 98 per cent of blue rays. Their lenses include a surface coating that is designed to suppress blue light.
The idea is to decrease digital eye strain while also preventing eye problems and improving sleep. Surprisingly, “the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) does not recommend blue-light-filtering glasses because there is insufficient scientific evidence that blue light is harmful to the eyes.” Blue-cut lenses are only efficient at filtering out specific forms of blue light; they may not entirely protect against all of blue light’s detrimental effects.
Though there is no clear cause for this, most computer and mobile phone users who spend a prolonged amount of time in front of a screen are at risk of developing serious eye health problems such as digital eye strain and computer vision syndrome if preventive steps are not taken.
For obvious reasons, even children today get more screen time. Dr Deepti Mehta, Consultant Ophthalmologist, Care Hospitals, believes that allowing children to use digital gadgets for extended periods of time despite wearing blue-light-filtering glasses may be damaging to their eyes in the long run. Taking regular pauses away from the computer is vital, as is taking certain precautions such as eating foods high in vitamins A and D, getting enough sleep, and exercising to help develop immunity. Increased font size can minimise eye strain in children, and frequent eye tests every 6 months for children aged 3 to 4 years can detect refractive issues at an early stage. Annual examinations are adequate for children over the age of five. Aside from that, adults should also use hot water compresses on their eyes before going to bed, in addition to the other measures recommended.
Dr Arpita Rao, Consultant Ophthalmologist, at Apollo Hospitals, suggests some alternate strategies for protecting the eyes of those who spend a lot of time on electronic devices: