Although technology has many benefits, too much screen time may be detrimental to your eye health. Here's what you need to know about the effects of blue light exposure.

What Is Blue Light?

The human eye can view light in a specific range of wavelengths known as the electromagnetic spectrum. Blue light has the highest energy level, as it vibrates at 380 to 500 nanometers. This is the same type of light found in the sun's ultraviolet rays.

Your eyes can't block most of this blue light, so it ends up passing through the front of the eye and reaching the retina, or the part of the eye responsible for converting images into electrical signals. These signals travel to the brain via the optic nerve, enabling you to see the world around you.

Now that people of all ages are spending so much time on computers and mobile devices, health care professionals are concerned about the effects of all that blue light on the eyes.

Potential Effects of Blue Light Exposure

Excessive blue light exposure may increase the risk of the following eye problems:

• Cataracts: Cataracts develop when proteins in the eye's lens start to break down. Once the lens becomes cloudy, it's difficult to see things clearly. For example, you may develop blurry vision. Bright colors may also appear faded, making the world look a little less vibrant.
• Eye cancer: Too much blue light may increase your risk of intraocular melanoma, a type of eye cancer. Researchers from the University of Florida and McGill University in Canada discovered that blue light causes uveal melanoma cell lines to grow much faster than usual. The uvea is the middle part of your eye. Symptoms of eye cancer include blurry vision, vision loss, eye irritation and floaters.
• Age-related macular degeneration: The macula is part of your retina, so it plays an important role in seeing colors and fine details. Macular degeneration develops when the macula is damaged in some way. Once the macula is damaged, you may lose your central vision, which is the type of vision you need to drive, recognize faces and perform other tasks. MD also makes straight lines appear wavy.
• Dry eye: When you look at a screen, you blink less than you normally do. Blinking is important because it helps your eyes stay lubricated. If you don't blink often enough, your eyes may dry out, causing irritation and other symptoms.
• Eyestrain: Just like your body feels tired at the end of a long day, your eyes get tired after you stare at a screen for hours on end. Eyestrain may cause watery eyes, itching, double vision, headaches, difficulty concentrating and increased light sensitivity.

Tips for Maintaining Your Eye Health

The good news is that you don't have to give up screens entirely. Try these tactics to reduce the impact of blue light on your eye health.

Take Blink Breaks

One of the easiest ways to combat the negative effects of blue light is to blink regularly. If you find yourself staring at the screen for just a little too long, blink a few times. Every time you blink, you lubricate your eyes and wash away irritants.

Adjust Your Screen Settings

If your computer screen glows brighter than the lights in your room, it's probably a little too bright. Give your eyes a break by adjusting the brightness setting on your monitor. It's also helpful to adjust your screen contrast, use window coverings to reduce glare and keep the screen clean.

Stop Dryness in Its Tracks

Since blue light increases the risk of dry eye, ask your doctor about using lubricating eye drops. These drops add much-needed moisture to your eyes, preventing irritation, itching and other symptoms. You may also benefit from running a humidifier in your home. Humidifiers add moisture to the air, further reducing the risk of dry eye.

Use Prescription Glasses

Many companies sell glasses that are supposed to block blue light, but over-the-counter novelty glasses aren't as effective as prescription eyewear designed specifically for computer use. If you're concerned about the effects of blue light on your eyes, ask your eye care professional for recommendations.

Some people use single-vision lenses, which are lenses you wear only while using the computer. Others have bifocals or progressive lenses, both of which have multiple correction options.

Change Positions

It's also helpful to adjust your position when sitting at a computer. Ideally, the screen should be right in front of you instead of to your left or right. Place the monitor at least 20 inches away from your face to prevent eyestrain.

Follow the 20-20-20 Rule

To prevent blue light from damaging your eyes, take a break every 20 minutes. Focus on an object that's at least 20 feet away from the screen for approximately 20 seconds. This is known as the 20-20-20 rule.

If you need a longer break, spend an hour exercising, socializing or learning a new skill. The Gardens at ViewPointe in Colorado Springs, Colorado, has an activities calendar filled with events to help you stay active.