Much concern is circulating about the effects of the blue light from digital screens on eyesight. Beyond an unpleasant feeling of discomfort when we stay in front of screens for too long, could blue light really damage our eyesight?
The Institut d’Education Médicale et de Prévention helps us take stock (https://lebonusagedesecrans.fr/les-ecrans-et-votre-vision/quels-risques-pour-vos-yeux/).
No scientific study to date confirms that blue light could harm our eyes and our eyesight. In particular, there is no proven link between exposure to screens and myopia, nor between exposure to screens and AMD or any other eye disease. However, studies carried out in vitro, which cannot be transposed to humans, call for caution, because animals heavily exposed to blue light under laboratory conditions have been able to develop retinal disorders. So let us be particularly careful with children, whose transparent lens is more sensitive to blue light than that of adults.
What everyone does frequently notice, on the other hand, is visual fatigue linked to heavy screen use. According to the 2014 barometer of the ASNAV (Association Nationale pour l’Amélioration de la Vue), 29% of French people and 40% of young people have already experienced the following effects after prolonged exposure to screens: tingling, mild transient visual disturbances, headaches… Moreover, in front of a screen, we open our eyes wide and reduce how often we blink. This leads to dry eyes and discomfort. Some people are more sensitive than others to these effects.
So how can we protect our eyes?
4 tips:
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The screen should be positioned lower than eye level, and at a distance of at least 50 cm from our eyes
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Take regular breaks, every 20 minutes, and use them to look at something in the distance, to relax the eye muscles
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Remember to blink often, and moisten your eyes with artificial tears if needed
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Wear optical correction suited to your eyesight
Be aware that you can use blue-light-blocking glasses, or filters to place over your screen. Even though they let some of the blue light through, they reduce the intensity of exposure.
MNC
Medical director of the André Boulloche Day Hospital for Children in Paris, she works more particularly on the relationships young people have with screens, communication with young children, and autism.
