By spending more than 8 hours a day in front of our screens, we undermine our laser vision as pro gamers. The blue light emitted by our smartphones, computers, tablets and television damages our pupils.
A serious question then arises for all gaming enthusiasts: can we lose our sight by spending very long hours on our video games and our screens?
We try to answer this question through the various researches and readings that we have carried out for you.
In this article :
- The effects of prolonged exposure to blue light
- How is blue light associated with blindness?
- How to prevent possible risks and dangers?
Effects of prolonged exposure to blue light
Although scientific research is still in its infancy, we already know some harmful effects of blue light on our pupils.
Sleep disturbance
You must often think that the adrenaline accumulated during a quartet on Call Of is what keeps you up at night. There's probably a bit of that. However, the real disruptor to your sleep cycle is blue light .
Based on an article from Harvard University, we discover that bluish light inhibits the production of melatonin , the hormone used in the synchronization of our circadian cycle (wake/sleep). It regulates our biological rhythm. So, no matter how exhausted you are, you won't be able to sleep, because your brain won't have gotten its sleep potion.
Therefore, disturbed, your brain and your body will rest badly and you will feel the effects the next day: fatigue, cramps, problems of concentration – to name only the minor repercussions.
computer vision syndrome
It is undoubtedly one of the most common syndromes among digital natives. Computer Vision Syndrome (or CVS) is a collection of problems related to prolonged computer use – and in a way, blue light exposure is associated with it.
Basically, these are issues like headaches , blurred vision, fatigue, and dry eyes.
You have probably already experienced this phenomenon. If that's never happened to you, then you're pretty close to being a superhero.
Development of eye pathologies
Blue light also attacks in the shadows – like the Ghost Of Tsushima – our own defenseless pupils. Indeed, according to a medical study carried out by American researchers, this harmful luminosity triggers a process in our ocular system which would transform a photosensitive molecule of the functioning of the retina into a toxic element.
It is from this process that the famous retinal disease called AMD ( Age-Related Macular Degeneration ) develops. This toxicity would affect the macula ( the central area of the retina ), gradually leading to the loss of vision.
How is blue light associated with blindness?
According to scientific research, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of permanent blindness in people over the age of 60 .
When changes occur in this part of the eye, it can have devastating effects on our vision and potentially lead to blindness.
There are also other eye damage resulting from prolonged exposure of our eyes to blue light, such as cataracts. Nevertheless, it is above all AMD that is singled out by specialists.
The correlation between AMD and blindness
On the website of the National Eye Institute, an excellent article explains in detail how macular degeneration occurs and evolves over time.
In the past, AMD was only considered a simple process of aging of the eye.
However, the article from this medical institute specifies that this pathology also and above all depends on other elements:
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Genetics : Caucasians with light eyes would be the most exposed to this disease or people whose family member has already suffered from this degeneration.
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Smoking : the consumption of tobacco would help accelerate the aging of the cornea.
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Food : an unbalanced diet, based on sugars, would act directly on the health of the eyes. It is recommended to eat green vegetables and fruits .
To find out more, we have posted a very comprehensive article on our blog: discover it here .
- Sun exposure : It's a scientific fact that direct sunlight can irreversibly damage the cornea of our eye.
Other interesting information is given on this site. For example, we learn that there are two types of macular degeneration :
- The so-called “dry” form : resulting from deposits that form in the retinal tissue.
- The so-called “wet” form : manifesting a decrease in blood vessels in the eye, which can lead to significant loss of vision.
So, will you ask us : how do our screens and blue light fit into all of this?
This is the big question that scientists and eye specialists are asking themselves. Indeed, as said above, the sun is one of the elements that accelerate AMD . You should know that our huge star is the largest source of blue light. However, we are used to protecting ourselves from these rays with protective glasses...
But, what do we do with the blue light emitted by the devices we use?
Nowadays, there is still little clinical data confirming that low-intensity artificial blue light (those from screens) presents long-term dangers. For the moment, scientific tests have only been carried out in the laboratory, but there are strong reasons to believe that, over prolonged periods of time, the condition of our eyes may deteriorate in the face of prolonged exposure to our eyes in front of the screens .
Faced with so many unknowns, it is better to bring some armor and shields to defend yourself as best you can against this enemy . Aren't you the type to go into battle on the plains of Mordor naked as a worm? No, so let's say it's the same when it comes to protecting the general condition of your eyes.
How to prevent possible risks and dangers?
Without having categorical and scientific answers on the long-term dangers of blue light from our screens, prevention is better than cure (or suffer) .
We offer you, once is not custom, recommendations to follow to push back vision problems as much as possible.
Protective glasses or filters
Even if doubts remain about the achievement of blue light, it is advisable to protect your eyes with blue light blocking glasses .
There is also the solution of protective filters for screens. If you want to know more about this, we recommend two of our articles:
Good health (food)
Good health will always be a quest to pursue to ensure that you are in peak physical condition. We are like the characters we embody, we have our own life bars , which must be kept filled to perform at best.
If you are looking for advice for a more balanced diet, to have a healthier lifestyle or other tips and cheat codes for your eyesight, we have a lot of articles dedicated to these subjects on our blog , like the one on dietary supplements .
To discover here .
Reduce blue light from our devices
Most of the devices we use (smartphones, computers) have options that allow you to reduce the brightness of their screens . Do not hesitate to configure them according to your preferences or to download an application to automate this practice. It can really help you, especially since you don't necessarily think about it all the time when you're concentrated in the middle of a Watch Dogs game.
See an eye specialist once a year
As a fierce player, you sometimes put your eyes to the test. A visit to the ophthalmologist will never be a waste of time . He will be able to see year after year if your sight presents problems or if it evolves.
So… do love (video games) make you blind?
There is still too little scientific documentation to confirm that the blue light from our devices also seriously affects our eyes in the long term, to the point of making us blind.
Although some studies seem to confirm this hypothesis, the best we can do right now is to protect ourselves from the risks by equipping ourselves with protective glasses, consulting a specialist regularly and having good physical and nutritional health.
This is probably the best way, and on all levels, to avoid damaging his eyes, especially since they are so important to you.
