Blue light may increase risk of macular degeneration
Laboratory studies have shown that excessive exposure to blue light damages light-sensitive cells in the retina. This causes changes that resemble macular degeneration, which can lead to permanent vision loss.
While more research is needed to determine how much too much blue light (either natural or man-made) is too much for the retina, many eye care professionals are concerned that excessive exposure to such light from computer screens, smartphones and other digital devices may increase a person's risk of developing macular degeneration years later.
According to a study by the “Fundación Telefónica ”, a smartphone user looks at his or her cell phone about 150 times a day.
Eye exposure to blue light has increased dramatically in recent years, mainly due to three causes:
Increasing artificial light sources
Increased use of electronic devices
Lack of physiological compensatory mechanisms
The invasion of electronic devices that emit so much blue light has occurred in a very short time, leaving insufficient time for the body to develop physiological compensatory mechanisms to protect itself.
The fact that blue light is both beneficial and harmful raises a critical question:
Can we protect the eye from harmful blue light without denying ourselves the blue light we physiologically need?
Currently, the dispensing of optical products increasingly falls to the physician, and optometrists on the type of glasses or lenses to use, however, if we go beyond external protection and build an eye protection system that works both internally and externally, the results would be more encouraging.
Of the more than 600 carotenoids found in nature, only the lutein and zeaxanthin isomers are found in the eye, specifically the macula, acting as primary filters of high-energy blue light.
These lutein and zeaxanthin isomers support visual health and acuity by protecting against oxidative stress and inflammation. Adequate supplementation of these carotenoids found in marigold extracts could be a convenient and cost-effective way to increase the benefits of eye health treatment, especially when blue light is part of our daily environment.
Published by:
Franchesca Barzola Pesantes
Chemical Engineer