On average, we spend 11 hours in front of a screen per day. With computer screens, phones, tablets, Kindles and smartwatches, it can sometimes feel impossible to get away from our electronic devices, particularly when they benefit and are used in so many areas of our lives.
But the blue light emitted by these devices could be having a detrimental effect on our eyesight. ‘Blue light’ is a short wavelength, high energy light rays emitted by screens that, over time, could be harming our eyes. In particular, blue light causes macular degeneration which can cause a gradual worsening of vision. Children’s eyes are particularly at risk to blue light as they absorb more, meaning their vision could be at risk.
So how can we protect our vision, particularly when so many jobs today require screen time? We’ve put together some handy tips to help overall eye health as well as reduce the effects of blue light.
We advise taking a break from screens as much as you can throughout the day. As a lot of us work with screens for a living, avoiding them is next to impossible, so try following the 20:20:20 rule – simply look away every 20 minutes at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. In the evenings, try reading a book or taking a walk.
Turn your screens to a lower brightness in order to minimize the amount of blue light exposure your eyes have.
Spinach, kale, oranges, eggs, peppers and corn all support eye health. Cold-water fish like salmon and tuna are also packed with omega-3 which may help protect against macular degeneration, dry eyes and even cataracts.
Getting your eyes tested once every two years is important so you can be properly checked for abnormalities. Our eyes don’t usually hurt when something is wrong with them, so getting them checked regularly is important for detection of any potentially harmful conditions. They will also tell you if you need glasses.
Take a supplement such as ClearVision, it contains liposome technology to deliver more vitamins and nutrients to the body compared to traditional tablets.