Unsplash Photo by Lukas Blaskevicius (Editorial, Technology) Unsplash
Device users are not a risk of eye damage due to blue light emitted from their devices, but they may be at risk of poorer sleep.
In 2019, Director Dr. David Ramsey of Ophthalmic Research at Lahey Massachusets Hospital and his study maintained that “many retail stores have ambient illumination twice as great…as [ones] iPhone, [and that] the sun yields illumination ten times greater!”
Light sources such as incandescence (light bulbs) and LEDs emit a broad spectrum of light, namely 400 to 700 nanometers (nm). Blue light is in the 400 to 450 nm range, carrying more energy than red light, raising concern.
Our retinas regularly absorb blue light emitted by the sun. For roughly 300,000 years, humans have sustained minor to no retinal damage: if it were damaging, we would have evolved optically blind.
Device intensities are much less than the sun and are regulated by manufacturers using light filters.
In 2019, CBC News conducted a Marketplace undercover investigation to debunk the concerns. In addition, Dr. SUNIR J. GARG, American Board Ophthalmologist and clinical researcher, addressed the myth.
“Why you don’t need blue light lenses: Hidden camera investigation (Marketplace)” A 2019 CBC Interview with Dr. SUNIR J. GARG, American Board Ophthalmologist, about why blue light glasses are unnecessary. Youtube
However, in the Harvard study, Dr. Ramsey adds that using devices late at night mimics sunlight, restraining melatonin production, a sleep-inducing hormone. This stimulates your circadian clock (your body’s 24-hour sleep clock), tending to delay your sleep cycles, disrupting your sleep, and increasing drowsiness the following morning.
By stopping use of electronic devices 30 minutes before bed, you can increase REM (deep-stage sleep), reduce morning drowsiness, and maintain a consistent circadian rhythm, which in itself has its own benefits.
In short, research before propagating a supposed “scientific claim” and reduce your screen time before bed.
~ Octavian Turner
I really enjoyed reading this blog as it provides an informative and well-researched perspective on the effects of blue light emitted from electronic devices on our eyes and sleep. While the article suggests that device users are not at risk of eye damage due to blue light, it acknowledges that using devices late at night can impact sleep by suppressing melatonin production. I appreciated the recommendation to reduce screen time before bed and the advice to research scientific claims before sharing them. Overall, this is a super helpful and very well structured article for anyone who’s worried about the impact of electronic devices on their eyes and sleep.
This is a really interesting topic! I’ve heard the whole “blue light is bad” thing before, and it’s commonly believed, so spreading awareness about what’s actually going on is really important. I like that you used 1st and 2nd person POV in your post while keeping a journalistic-like style. By directly addressing the reader, your post feels more personal which makes it more effective at dispelling the myth and advising the reader. I also like that there’s little jargon and ‘fancy’ language, making your post easy to understand for general audiences, which I assume is your target. Great work!
I have a blue light filter for my glasses and I was convinced that this would be helpful especially since I’m staring at a screen all day. This is a great article targeted to an audience who wear glasses or for those who are constantly on their phones or computers before bed. Overall, it is a very informative article for your audience.
I like how you managed to keep the writing style journalistic, while addressing your intended audience. It was a great idea to incorporate some “recommendations” on improving REM sleep at the end of your article. I will definitely take this advice.
The title of your post really grabbed my attention, because one of the content creators I watch ran into controversy over working with a company that made products “protecting” against blue light. The article is geared towards people that frequently use phones and computers, and does an excellent job using a journalistic style to get straight to the point. Right away I can see who this information is addressing and what research is highlighting this issue. If the content creator I mentioned had read this post, they might’ve dodged a bullet.