Will blue light from electronic devices increase my risk of macular degeneration and blindness?

Every day, retinal specialists are asked about the risks from blue light emitted from electronic devices. (Retinal specialists treat conditions affecting the retina, a thin tissue at the back of the eye that is responsible for vision.) Many people ask whether blue light will increase their risk of age-related macular degeneration and blindness. The short answer to this common question is no. The amount of blue light from electronic devices, including smartphones, tablets, LCD TVs, and laptop computers, is not harmful to the retina or any other part of the eye. What is blue light? Blue light is visible light between 400 and 450 nanometers (nm) in frequency on the visible light spectrum. As the name suggests, this type of light is perceived as blue in color. However, blue light may be present even when light is perceived as white or another color. Blue light is of concern because it has more energy per photon of light than other colors in the visible spectrum, i.e. green or red light. Blue light, at high enough doses, is therefore more likely to cause damage when absorbed by various cells in our body. How do we perceive color? Our perception of color relies primarily on four main light-sensitive cells: three cone photoreceptors and one rod photoreceptor. These cells reside within the retina. During the daytime, the three cone photoreceptors actively sense light, and each has a peak sensitivity in either the blue, green, or red portions of the visible light spectrum. On the most...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Eye Health Source Type: blogs