Blue may be your favorite colour, but more isn't always better -- and that rule applies to blue light as well. Certain wavelengths in the blue end of the spectrum can actually do permanent harm to the lenses and retinas of your eyes over time. Today's proliferation of smart phones, laptops, tablets and other devices that emit blue light has made it more important than ever for people to protect their eyes. That's why our eye doctor at Maple Ridge Eye Care offers blue light blocking lenses in addition to other kinds of eyeglasses.
The Need for Blue Light Blocking Eyeglasses
What's so bad about blue light? The truth is that, to some extent, blue light is good for you. A certain quantity of exposure to blue light seems to improve mood, help prevent seasonal depression, and keep the hormones that govern our sleep/wake cycle in proper balance. But there's a specific band of blue-violet light that spells trouble for your eyes. This zone of blue-violet light, situated just above UV light on the spectrum, is known as HEV (high-energy visible) light. One wavelength range in particular, between 390 and 440 nanometers, appears to be particularly damaging. The negative effects of HEV exposure can include:
- Corneal and/or conjunctival irritation - Your eyes may experience chronic irritation and discomfort if they get too much blue light.
- Cataracts - Blue light can alter the crystalline lens in the eye, contributing to the progressive yellowing and opacity known as cataracts.
- Macular degeneration - Blue light can do cumulative permanent damage to the macula, the area of the retina that processes central vision. Long-term HEV exposure could therefore play a role in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Blue Light Filtering Lenses from Our Optometrist in Maple Ridge
For better or worse, blue light is all around us. Many of us spend hours each day viewing LED screens and other devices that emit blue light - and an ordinary cloudy day can expose the eyes to 30 times that amount! Fortunately, protecting your eyes from HEV light can be as simple as wearing blue light filtering lenses on a regular basis. If you're looking for an optometrist in Maple Ridge who can solve this problem for you, look no further than the optometry team at Maple Ridge Eye Care.
We offer blue light blocking lenses to suit your lifestyle and needs. If you need outdoor HEV protection as well as glare reduction, we offer a wide range of designer sunglasses. For indoor or everyday HEV protection, we're proud to make Hoya Recharge lenses available to our patients. These blue light blocking lenses protect your eyes against the harmful blue-violet rays while allowing the "good" blue rays higher up the spectrum to enter and provide their vital health benefits.
Don't end up singing the blues because of HEV exposure! Let Maple Ridge Eye Care help, give us a call today at 604-463-4469!