Vision Va va voom!
Whilst running an independent, family run busy Coleman Opticians David Tuthill and his amazing team found time to collaborate with us, and host an open evening to share and celebrate how fantastic their patients, team and community are.
Recent winners of the Family Optician of the Year 2019 – there is alot to celebrate!
With an important message from David on the damaging effects of blue light, a tour of the inner workings of the practice, and a stunning array of Neubau eyewear glasses – it really was a fantastic evening. The delightful Spring evening was toasted with sparkling fizz and delicious canapes from The Feed.
Whilst blue light may be the sabre of choice of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, the blue light that emanates from every single electronic device we use, has as we discovered on Thursday far more serious repercussions.
What is blue light?
As technology advances, so our working day evolves to incorporate the latest gadgets and gizmo’s, all to make our jobs themselves easier but it doesn’t, and shouldn’t, need to be at the cost of our health. The impact of blue light on melatonin production was only confirmed in 2001, when scientists discovered that light in the blue spectrum-the 415 to 445 nanometer range-disrupts melatonin production.
Because it’s so bright, blue light is used widely in pretty much all LED devices, including phones, tablets, laptops and TVs.
It’s also very hot, and it appears to be wreaking all sorts of havoc on our eyes, melatonin, and consequently, on our health!
Anyone who uses a device is at risk, regardless of age.
Being in the presence of light at night disrupts the body’s natural circadian rhythms by suppressing the production of melatonin, a sleep hormone. But melatonin does more than just make you sleepy, it’s also an antioxidant that appears to play a pivotal role in slowing the progression of diseases such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease and even cancer.
Findings from latest research
Research shows an undeniable link between blue light exposure and migraine headaches. In some cases, optometrists are even seeing high levels of retinal stress in children that could lead to early onset macular degeneration, which can lead to near blindness!
What doesn’t need research: 415-445nm is super-hot light, and if focused and brought up close, say a tablet screen 6 inches from a child’s face, the long term damage will be significant.
An ophthalmologist says he’s recently seen a few 35 year old patients whose lenses, which are typically clear all the way up until around age 40, are so cloudy they resemble a 75 year olds.
A consultant says children as young as 2 are suffering from chronic insomnia, which in turn affects their behaviour and performance at school and day care.
A scientist finds that women who work night shifts are twice as likely to develop breast cancer as those who sleep at night.
Blue light is considered a ‘carcinogenic pollution’ that in mice correlates with higher cancer rates. A lack of melatonin is linked to higher rates of breast cancer, while blocking those blue rays with amber glass or a ‘blue blocker’ is linked to lower rates. Exposure to blue light in people seems to have a direct link to depression. Blue light exposure, along with poor UV protection compliance, may be playing a role in the higher incidence of cataracts and macular degeneration seen today. Too much exposure can cause retinal toxicity.
Follow these hints and tips to minimise the damage For those using DSE, occupational lenses are available to help the eyes focus at an intermediate and near range for prolonged times, available with a blue-light filter to reduce exposure and drastically reduce the harm done to your eyes and health.
Clean your screen: A dust, smudge free screen reduces glare. Dim surrounding lights: To reduce the amount of light competing with your screen. Increase font size: Try increasing the text size to help better define screen content and to make reading more comfortable. Limit screen time: Especially for children and especially within 2 hours of bedtime! Blink more often: Staring at a screen can effect the number of times you blink, causing dry eye.
No matter your age, vocation or occupation, limiting your exposure to blue light and protecting your eye sight by making a few slight adjustments to your day will ensure that you enjoy many more years of vision health.
