A New Study on Blue Light & Eye Damage

Researchers already know that blue light can damage the cells of our retinas -- and a new study sheds some light on how.

Blue Light 101

So, what exactly is blue light? Check out our earlier post to find out more about blue light and how it affects our eyes. The short version is that blue light is part of the visible light spectrum. It occurs naturally in sunlight and is also emitted from many digital device screens. While blue light is critical to helping us see and maintaining our circadian rhythms, excess exposure in the short term can lead to digital eye strain and in the long term, damage to the retina.

New Research

Optic scientists from the University of Toledo recently decided to study how blue light damaged the retina. They found that excessive exposure to blue light triggers a chemical reaction that ultimately permanently destroys certain retinal cells. These cell deaths lead to macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 55. 

But before you turn off your computer and phone, don't worry -- the study focused on one specific kind of cell in the retina (not all retinal cells), and the intensity of the blue light used in the experiment was likely much greater than the intensity of light emitted by your screens.

The good news is that studies like this one will help scientists better understand how blue light leads to retinal damage -- knowledge that will make such damage easier to prevent.

 Get Blue Light Blocking Glasses Today

You don't have to wait for new developments in eye health to protect your eyes against blue light. All Eagle Eyes sunglasses are equipped with blue light blocking technology, and our DigiTec glasses were developed specifically to protect your eyes from the blue light emitted by computer, tablet, smartphone and television screens.