Blue light filter and night mode: do they really protect the eyes?

Blue light filters are supposed to protect the eyes from LED light and thus improve our sleep quality, among other things. You can find out whether and how this can work in this article.

After a long day at the office at the laptop, our eyes often feel irritated and overloaded. If we then expose ourselves to the glaring light from smartphone and television screens, not only does the stress on our eyes increase – our sleep quality also decreases.

According to researchers, too little sleep is closely related to our screen time. Blue light is also thought to have other negative effects on the retina of our eyes. But what makes blue light so problematic? And can filters on glasses or screens actually prevent the negative effects?

Blue light disturbs sleep

Typical sources of blue light are above all the screens of laptops, televisions and smartphones as well as LED and Energy saving lamps. It is mainly used to make contrasts appear stronger and thus to ensure particularly intense colors.

But the popular light has a decisive disadvantage: That’s how it exists daily News according to evidence that blue light can cause sleep problems. This is because it inhibits the production of the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is also known as the sleep hormone. Usually our body produces it in the evening.

However, when we surround ourselves in the evening with televisions, smartphones and other flickering screens with blue light, we signal our body to stay awake. After all, our wake-sleep rhythm is heavily dependent on the light that surrounds us: it contains normal daylight a lot of blue light, stops melatonin production and wakes us up.

When the sun goes down, warmer light and finally darkness surrounds us, melatonin is released – as a result, we become tired and usually fall asleep easily. Blue light filters should prevent the blue light from shining directly on our retina and thus promote the natural sleep-wake cycle.

How effective are blue light filters?

To reduce the amount of blue light that penetrates your retina through screens, you can use either special glasses or a night mode. There are various apps that reduce the blue light directly on the screen. Night mode is an integrated function of many smartphones and laptops. Depending on the strength, the colors look more yellow and contrasts are less pronounced.

Eyeglass lenses with a blue light filter either have a slightly yellowish tint or have clear, anti-reflective lenses. These glasses reflect the blue light and therefore have a bluish shimmer. According to the Tagesschau, glasses with a strong yellow or orange tint are particularly effective: They keep a lot of blue light away. If you put them on in the evening, you can make it easier for you to fall asleep despite screens and LEDs. The night mode in screens should also be used according to the Pharmacy magazine improve the quality of sleep.

But science disagrees on the effectiveness of blue light filters. The science magazine spectrum According to research, it is not the blue light for sleep disorders Responsible is: Bright light is particularly problematic, regardless of the color. So yellowish-warm light can wake us up. According to these results, whether blue light filters work depends primarily on whether they dim the light on the screen.

Blue light filter: good for the eyes?

Blue light is not only supposed to disturb sleep, but according to the pharmacy survey it has further negative consequences for our eyes: If the light falls on our retina and reacts there with oxygen, toxic compounds can be formed. These can lead to the fact that photoreceptor cells die off more quickly and our eyesight deteriorates. To what extent this thesis is correct and when blue light actually becomes dangerous has not yet been conclusively scientifically clarified.

The proportion of blue light in normal screens is probably harmless. It only becomes problematic when we look directly into powerful LED lamps for a long time. Blue light filters in glasses can also be helpful to avoid exposure to LEDs.

Tips for healthy eyes

In addition to blue light filters, there are blue light filters to protect your eyes from dryness, poor eyesight and other complaints other helpful tips:

• Breaks: If we stare at the screen for a long time, we tend to blink less. As a result, less fluid is formed in the eye and we experience a dry, irritated feeling. To prevent this, you can incorporate small breaks in the working day in which you let your gaze wander around the room or close your eyes for several minutes.
• sleep: Getting enough sleep is also important for healthy eyes. Meanwhile, the muscles are completely relaxed and the eyes have time to regenerate.
• Diet and lifestyle: A balanced diet that provides the body with all the important nutrients it needs also promotes eye health. Too much alcohol and regular tobacco consumption, on the other hand, increase the risk of eye diseases.
• Sunglasses: Even strong UV light puts a strain on our eyes. To counteract this, you should on bright days Sunglasses use with sufficient UV protection. You can recognize recommended sunglasses by the labels “UV 400” or “100% UV protection”.

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