Blue Blockers Protecting Vision Problems, Part 1 – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 570
Join Jerry Hickey, Ph as he talks about the connection of green leafy vegetables and how they work as blue light blockers.
Tag: eye
Your Eye Doctor Needs To Know This Supplement – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 529
If you spend your days staring at phone, TV or computer screens, you need to know about what supplements can benefit your eye health, and your eye doctor should, too.
Blue Light Lasting Damage in Children and Adults – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 307
Invite Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Amanda Williams, MPH.
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By now, we have all heard about the damaging effects of blue light when it comes to more than just our vision. We certainly have seen the long-term studies implicating that blue light exposure can actually accelerate the aging process, so it goes more than just the detrimental effects on the eyes. For many people who maybe have young children or grandchildren, you may have seen that trend that more and more children are spending an awful lot of time in front of their different digital screens. With that emission of that blue light, we have to think long term. What are those effects, not only to adults, but also to children and to teenagers? I want to talk about that in some detail today.
The dangers of blue light
We know that the majority of people in this country spend hours upon hours in front of a screen. It’s estimated that 60% of people spend more than six hours per day in front of a digital device. We know that the light itself is made up of these electromagnetic particles that travel in waves, so when we talk about blue light, we’re talking about the actual waves.
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There is a strong correlation between chronic exposure to blue light and the association of developing age-related macular degeneration. We see this in older adults, but you also have to wonder what this is doing to people who have very young eyes. We cannot be immune to this. We can’t turn a blind eye to the real problem that we are seeing.
We know that the way the blue light is actually working is that it penetrates into the retina. This is where they induce this phytochemical stress within the retinal cells themselves and this creates a significant amount of damage. When we have damaged cells, the normal response in the body is to get rid of them. We’re starting to see this greater rate of apoptosis, or programmed cell death, because of that. When we’re dealing with people who are older, clearly that cell rejuvenation doesn’t happen as easily as it does when someone is younger.
We have to at least pay attention to the fact that children are definitely having a significantly higher amount of exposure to blue light than many of us even recognize. There are multiple studies now that are starting to come out showing the harmful effects of that. Much of this is unavoidable for children who are doing virtual schooling right now and they have to sit in front of their computer screens, but even in the in-class setting, so much of this has gone digital.
Learn more about the increased prevalence of screen usage and its impacts on eye health by tuning into the full podcast episode.
How To Fend Of Damage
We know that supplementing with multivitamins at minimum can be very beneficial. Having things like Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E on board is very beneficial to the overall health of the eye.
How Vitamin A Benefits Immunity and Vision – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 197. Listen Now >>
We also have to make sure that we are including in those very powerful carotenoids, such as lutein and zeaxanthin. We know that these have a really powerful effect when it comes to fending off the negative, harmful means by which the blue light is actually damaging the eye itself.
Listen to the full podcast episode to learn more about how to help fend off blue light damage.
Thank you for tuning in to the Invite Health Podcast. You can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.invitehealth.com/podcast. Make sure you subscribe and leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at Invite Health today. We’ll see you next time on another episode of the Invite Health Podcast.
The Best Berries To Support Vision Health – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 237
Berries are loaded with powerful antioxidants that have been shown to be helpful for vision and overall eye health, especially bilberries.
Bilberry and Cassis Berry Support Eye Health, Including Night Vision – Invite Health Podcast, Episode 95
Many animals have a reflector behind their eye that reflects light back through their retina, magnifying the amount of light, so they can see well at night. Humans don’t have this but there are two berries – Bilberry and Cassis berry – that have been shown to support eye health, including night vision.
The Importance of Healthy Vision on National Video Games Day
Are you noticing that your eyes are feeling dry, sore or just uncomfortable after staring at your screen all day? We’ve got news for you! The blue light emitted from your devices – your computer, tablet, tv or cell phone – can be harmful to your eyes. Here’s why and what to do for healthy vision.
What is Blue Light?
Most of us are using a device that emits blue light throughout the day, with studies suggesting that 60% of people spend more than 6 hours a day in front of a digital device.
According to BlueLightExposed.com, blue light waves are among the shortest, highest energy wavelengths, causing flickers that create a glare that have been shown to reduce visual contrast and affect sharpness and clarity. “This flickering and glaring may be one of the reasons for eyestrain, headaches, physical and mental fatigue caused by any hours sitting in front of a computer screen or other electronic device.” LED black-light technology – including TVs, computers, laptops, smart phones and tablets – help enhance screen brightness and clarify, emitting very strong blue light waves.
Here are the Top 10 Nutrients for Healthy Vision. Are you incorporating enough? >>
What to do
There are a few things you can do to protect your vision against these harmful blue light rays.
- Reduce the glare of your device by reducing its brightness. If you are on the computer for long periods of the day, you may want to invest in a glare reduction filter for your screen.
- Increasing the text size on your devices may help to protect against eye strain.
- Take a break every 20 minutes for your device!
- Limiting your screen time is the most effective.
Natural Support for healthy vision
In our retina, an essential region for crystal clear vision, the concentration of two carotenoids – Lutein and Zeaxanthin (abbreviated L + Z) – are essential for ongoing vision health. They are so important to vision that they are commonly referred to as macular pigments. The macula is a filter that helps protect the eye.†
Healthy, robust macular tissue, rich in L + Z, has key functions, including filtering out blue light and focusing on objects for our sharpest vision (such as in reading a newspaper). If it penetrates deep into our eyes, it damages the many small organs in our retina that are required for vision. Having a thicker macular tissue shields from blue light and this robustness is largely due to its L + Z content.†