· By Kaushal M. Kulkarni, M.D.
Can Vitamins Protect Against Blue Light Damage?
Blue light is everywhere! The light that is emitted from our cell phones, laptops, televisions, and other digital devices has gotten quite a bit of attention in recent years – as have the “digital eyestrain” and other serious conditions that can come about by too much exposure.
It is becoming increasingly clear that protecting our eyes from the negative effects of blue light is something that should be prioritized. One such form of protection is vitamins. But can vitamins really protect our eyes against blue light damage? In this article, we take a closer look at what blue light is, how blue light wreaks havoc on our vision, and why vitamins could be an easy solution.
What is Blue Light?
Blue light is a form of visible light that exists on what is known as the Visible Light Spectrum. Each color on the Spectrum has its own length and energy level, and those with the shortest lengths are the most difficult for the naked human eye to see. Blue light happens to have the shortest wavelength and the highest energy level. This makes it nearly as powerful as ultraviolet waves (UV rays), which we all know can wreak serious havoc on our skin and eyes.
Blue light is found in as much as one-third of all visible light, including sunlight which positively boosts our mood levels, improves cognitive function, and regulates our wake cycle and sleep cycle. Unfortunately, high-energy blue light is also found artificially in a number of sources, including LED lights, smartphones, tablet screens, computer screens, and fluorescent light bulbs. It is this artificial blue light that has many people concerned for their eye health.
Does Blue Light Damage Your Eyes?
Research in animals shows that long-term exposure to high levels of blue light can cause damage to mitochondria in the retina. Damage to the retinal cells often leads to vision problems such as macular degeneration. However, this has not been shown or proven in any human studies yet, and the amount of blue light exposure from digital screens is miniscule compared to the amount that would be needed to cause damage. Various health organizations are currently undergoing the studies required to know more.
Can Vitamins Protect Against Blue Light?
For many people, reducing the amount of time spent in front of a screen simply isn’t an option. In this case, one simple solution is to incorporate a vitamin into your daily routine. Specifically, a blue light-blocking vitamin like Nurtureyes. Created by eye doctors and formulated based on the active ingredients in the AREDS 2 study, Eyetamins contain natural filtering nutrients which help your eyes absorb blue light more efficiently.
These same nutrients improve your eyes’ depth perception and contrast sensitivity, and have been studied in reducing the risk of progression of age-related macular degeneration. As an added bonus, additional nutrients included in the Eyetamins help you sleep better by supporting your body’s natural circadian rhythm!
People Also Ask
1. Is damage from blue light permanent?
Early research into the effects of blue light exposure suggests that toxic levels of blue light can cause damage to the retina and macula in rodents. However, this has not been shown or proven in humans. Many ophthalmologists and other experts are quick to remind us that further studies are needed before we can fully understand the effects of blue light on our eye health.
2. How do you reverse blue light damage?
It is still up for debate as to whether blue light damage is real or even possible, but you can significantly reduce any potential risk by (1) taking frequent breaks and staring at something across the room for at least 30 seconds, (2) sticking to a strict “no screen time” rule for at least two hours before bed, and (3) wearing blue light glasses or adding a matte screen filter to any sources of blue light.
3. How can you protect your eyes from blue light?
Wearing blue light glasses when you are in front of a digital screen can help keep your eyes from straining and from being overexposed to the blue light that is emitted. You can also install blue light filters over your smartphone, computer, and tablet screens. These filters prevent blue light from ever reaching your eyes without distorting the picture on the screen in any way. Finally, anyone who spends ample time in front of a screen should be regularly taking blue-light-blocking vitamins, which can ensure your eyes receive the proper nutrients. These even come in the form of delicious eye health gummies.
4. Is exposure to blue light the same as exposure to UV rays?
Both blue light and ultraviolet light rays (UV rays) are short, high-energy waves on the Visible Light Spectrum, and while they are similar, they are not the same. Research has proven time and time again that consistent exposure to UV rays can be extremely dangerous for our eyes and skin. Though research into the dangers of blue light is not as advanced as the research into the dangers of UV rays, it is widely accepted that neither is good for us in excess.
By now, most of us know that our constant use of screens comes with blue light damage as one of the many risk factors. But since none of us are likely to give up our electronic devices any time soon, the best way to mitigate such a risk is to protect against blue light damage the only ways we know how.
One such way is to incorporate vitamins into our daily health routine. A specially formulated blue-light-blocking vitamin, like Nurtureyes by Eyetamins that can provide your eyes with the nutrients they need to better absorb blue light. Doing so can protect your retina, lessen your chances of developing a serious eye disease, and even help you to sleep better.
· Na Kaushal M. Kulkarni, M.D. Je, Vitamini Wanaweza Kulinda Dhidi ya Madhara ya Nuru ya Bluu? Nuru ya bluu iko kila mahali! Nuru inayotokana na simu zetu za mkononi, kompyuta ndogo, televisheni, na vifaa vingine vya dijiti imepata umakini sana katika miaka ya hivi karibuni - kama vile "mzigo wa macho ya dijiti" na hali nyingine mbaya ambazo zinaweza kutokea kwa mfiduo mwingi sana. Ni muhimu sana kuepuka athari mbaya za mwanga wa bluu. Aina moja ya ulinzi huo ni vitamini. Lakini je, vitamini vinaweza kulinda macho yetu dhidi ya madhara yanayosababishwa na nuru ya bluu? Katika makala hii, tutaangalia kwa karibu ni nini mwanga wa bluu, jinsi mwanga wa bluu unavyoathiri maono yetu, na kwa nini vitamini vinaweza kuwa suluhisho rahisi. Nuru ya Bluu Ni Nini? Nuru ya bluu ni aina ya mwanga unaoonekana ambao unapatikana katika kile kinachojulikana kama Spectrum ya Nuru inayoonekana. Kila rangi kwenye Spectrum ina urefu wake na kiwango cha nishati, na zile zenye urefu mfupi zaidi ni ngumu zaidi kwa jicho la binadamu kuona. Nuru ya bluu ina urefu mfupi zaidi wa wimbi na kiwango cha juu zaidi cha nishati. Kwa hiyo, ni nguvu kama za miale ya ultraviolet (UV), ambayo inaweza kuharibu ngozi na macho yetu. Nuru ya bluu inapatikana katika theluthi moja ya mwanga wote unaoonekana, ikiwa ni pamoja na mwanga wa jua, ambayo huongeza viwango vyetu vya hali ya moyo, kuboresha kazi ya utambuzi, na kudhibiti mzunguko wetu wa kuamka na mzunguko wa usingizi. Kwa bahati mbaya, mwanga wa bluu wenye nishati ya juu pia hupatikana kwa njia ya bandia katika vyanzo kadhaa, ikiwa ni pamoja na taa za LED, simu mahiri, skrini za kibao, skrini za kompyuta, na balbu za taa za fluorescent. Ni nuru hiyo ya bluu ya bandia ambayo inawafanya watu wengi wawe na wasiwasi kuhusu afya ya macho yao. Je, Nuru ya Bluu Huharibu Macho Yako? Utafiti uliofanywa kwa wanyama unaonyesha kwamba mwangaza wa muda mrefu wa mwangaza wa bluu unaweza kuharibu mitochondria ya retina. Uharibifu wa chembe za retina mara nyingi husababisha matatizo ya kuona kama vile degeneration ya macular. Hata hivyo, hii haijaonyeshwa au kuthibitishwa katika masomo yoyote ya binadamu, na kiasi cha mwangaza wa bluu kutoka kwa skrini za dijiti ni kidogo sana ikilinganishwa na kiasi kinachohitajika kusababisha uharibifu. Mashirika mbalimbali ya afya kwa sasa yanafanya uchunguzi unaohitajiwa ili kujua zaidi. Je, Vitamini Wanaweza Kulinda Dhidi ya Nuru ya Bluu? Kwa watu wengi, kupunguza muda wanaotumia mbele ya skrini si jambo linalowezekana. Katika hali kama hiyo, suluhisho moja rahisi ni kuingiza vitamini fulani katika utaratibu wako wa kila siku. Vitamini za kuzuia mwanga wa bluu, kama vile Nurturi Iliundwa na madaktari wa macho na iliyoundwa kulingana na viungo vya kazi katika utafiti wa AREDS 2, Eyetamine ina virutubisho vya asili vya kuchuja ambavyo husaidia macho yako kunyonya mwanga wa bluu kwa ufanisi zaidi. Vyakula hivyo vinaweza kuboresha uwezo wa macho ya kuona kina cha macho na uwezo wa kuona tofauti za rangi, na pia vinaweza kupunguza hatari ya kuharibika kwa rangi ya macho kwa sababu ya uzee. Kama ziada ya ziada, virutubisho vya ziada vilivyojumuishwa katika Eyetamins husaidia kulala vizuri kwa kuunga mkono mdundo wa asili wa circadian wa mwili wako! Watu Pia Huuliza 1. Je, madhara yanayosababishwa na nuru ya bluu ni ya kudumu? Utafiti wa mapema juu ya athari za mwangaza wa bluu unaonyesha kuwa viwango vya sumu vya mwangaza wa bluu vinaweza kusababisha uharibifu wa retina na macula katika panya. Hata hivyo, hilo halijaonyeshwa au kuthibitishwa kwa wanadamu. Wataalamu wengi wa macho na wataalamu wengine wanatuwakumbusha kwamba uchunguzi zaidi unahitajiwa kabla hatujaweza kuelewa kikamili athari za mwanga wa bluu kwenye afya ya macho yetu. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Jinsi ya kugeuza uharibifu wa mwanga wa bluu? "Hata hivyo, kuna uwezekano mkubwa wa kupunguza hatari yoyote kwa kuchukua mapumziko ya mara kwa mara na kutazama kitu fulani katika chumba kwa angalau sekunde 30, kushikamana na sheria kali ya ""hakuna wakati wa skrini"" kwa angalau masaa mawili kabla ya kulala, na kuvaa miwani ya bluu au kuongeza kichujio cha skrini ya matte kwa vyanzo vyovyote vya mwanga wa bluu." 3. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Unawezaje kulinda macho yako kutokana na mwangaza wa bluu? Kwa kutumia miwani ya bluu wakati wa kutumia skrini, unaweza kuepuka kuonekana na kuonekana na mwangaza wa bluu. Unaweza pia kuweka vichungi vya mwanga wa bluu kwenye skrini za simu yako ya mkononi, kompyuta, na kibao. Filters hizi kuzuia mwanga wa bluu kutoka kufikia macho yako bila kupotosha picha kwenye skrini kwa njia yoyote. Kwa wale ambao hutumia muda mwingi mbele ya skrini, unapaswa kuchukua vitamini vya kuzuia mwanga wa bluu ili kuhakikisha macho yako yanapata virutubisho vya kutosha. Hizi hata huja katika umbo la gummies zenye kupendeza za afya ya macho. 4. Uwe na uhakika Je, kuathiriwa na nuru ya bluu ni sawa na kuathiriwa na miale ya UV? Nuru ya bluu na ultraviolet (UV) ni mawimbi mafupi ya nishati ya juu kwenye spectrum ya mwanga inayoonekana, na wakati zinafanana, sio sawa. Utafiti umeonyesha mara kwa mara kwamba kuathiriwa na miale ya UV inaweza kuwa hatari sana kwa macho na ngozi. Ingawa utafiti kuhusu hatari za mwanga wa bluu haujaendelea kama utafiti kuhusu hatari za miale ya UV, inakubaliwa sana kwamba hakuna mojawapo ya hizo inayoweza kutufanya tuwe na afya nzuri. Kwa sasa, wengi wetu tunajua kwamba matumizi yetu ya mara kwa mara ya skrini huja na uharibifu wa mwanga wa bluu kama moja ya sababu nyingi za hatari. Lakini kwa kuwa hakuna mtu anayepaswa kuacha vifaa vyetu vya elektroniki hivi karibuni, njia bora ya kupunguza hatari hiyo ni kujilinda dhidi ya uharibifu wa mwanga wa bluu. Njia moja ni kuongeza vitamini katika chakula chetu cha kila siku. Vitamini ya kuzuia mwanga wa bluu, kama vile Nurtures, inaweza kutoa macho yako na virutubisho vinavyohitajika ili kuondoa mwanga wa bluu. Kufanya hivyo kunaweza kulinda retina yako, kupunguza uwezekano wa kupatwa na ugonjwa mbaya wa macho, na hata kukusaidia kulala vizuri.