Most adults spend more than 10 hours daily in front of a digital screen, whether a computer, TV, smartphone, or any other device. According to research by Nielsen Company in 2016, the time spent in front of screens increased even more. Blue Light Eye Damage is a major cause of concern for people who spend extended time in front of screens.
The degree to which the Blue Light From Screens is harmful to your eyes depends on the total time spent in front of your mobile or computer screen. Children are at more risk because their eyes absorb blue light more than adults.
Studies have shown that blue light can boost your mood and alertness while supporting cognitive functions. However, excess exposure is harmful and can cause eyestrain, retina damage, computer vision syndrome, etc. It is not possible to stay away totally, but we can always reduce blue light exposure. Here are 5 effective ways to protect yourself against blue light emitted from digital screens.
Cut Back your Screen Time
One of the top ways to protect your eyes from the negative effects of blue light is to cut back your screen time as much as possible. Most people use their laptop for work and smartphone to scroll their social media feed as well as other tasks. After the Coronavirus lockdown across the world, many industries promote working from home, which increases screen time even more.
It might not be possible to reduce the laptop time for people working from home, but they can cut the time they spend on their phones. You can take a 5-minute break after every hour of work to reduce the strain of blue light on your eyes. This may seem like a very short time but it goes a long way in reducing damage.
The effect of blue light from your smartphone is much more intense than the computer screen as the phone is held closer to our face and eyes. So, by reducing the time spent on your phone, you can reduce your exposure to blue light, thereby reducing the extent of damage.
Wear Blue Light Computer Glasses
As most people work for 8 to 10 hours on the computer, simply taking breaks may not be enough to reduce eye strain. If you have got sensitive eyes, you will need to invest in specially designed blue light computer glasses. These glasses filter the blue light to reduce their strain and impact on the retina of your eyes.
They also filter the light coming from your smartphone screen or any device, thereby minimizing the effect on your eyes.
Minimize the Screen Brightness
Reducing the brightness of your screen is another simple thing you can do to decrease the blue light effect on your eyes. Users don’t need anything extra to do this. You need to find the option on your smartphone and computer through which the brightness of your screen can be reduced.
However, you should not reduce the brightness too much as it will make your eyes work harder to see the content on your screen. So, make sure you reduce the brightness to a level that makes watching content convenient and reduces the effects of blue light on your eyes.
Other than brightness, you should also increase the distance between yourself and the screen. If you stay almost 2-3 ft. away from the screen, the strain on your eyes will lower drastically.
Rest your Eyes Using the 20/20/20 Rule
Some people do the majority of their work on computers, and it becomes practically impossible to reduce screen time for some. To lessen the effects of blue light, you should try resting during work according to the 20-20-20 rule. Stop after every 20 minutes and focus on anything at least 20 feet far away from you for 20 seconds.
This sounds like a game but doing this after regular intervals while working has proven to be beneficial. Your eyes get a much-needed rest before returning in front of a screen and working. Staring at a screen for long times without breaks is not recommended for anyone.
Other than the 20-20-20 rule, using room humidifiers, eye drops, etc., keep your eyes moist and reduce blue light eye damage.
Use Screen Filters on Your Devices
You can purchase special screen protectors or filters to limit the amount of blue light emitted from your device screen. These filters absorb much of the blue light so that your eyes get exposed to a lower, safer amount. You can use these filters on your phone, TV, or computer screens.
Screen visibility or touch are not affected by these filters, and you can use your device just like before. Your device screen also gets added protection when you put a protector on it. These screen filters are available at an affordable price, and you can put them on easily.
Conclusion
Many institutions are researching the effects of blue light on our mental and physical health. It is no secret that too much exposure to blue light emitted from digital screens is harmful to us. The majority of people cannot completely stop using digital devices but minimizing screen time is vital.
In the above blog, we read about 5 effective ways to protect yourself against blue light eye damage. It is better to prevent any side effects, and we recommend everyone to use these tips for protection against blue light.
BprotectedStore is one of the leading names offering a great collection of blue light glasses. You can buy these effective glasses and save your eyes from blue light.