H. Arnold Papernick OD Warns Patients of the Dangers of Blue Light Exposure

MT. PLEASANT, Pa., Feb. 14, 2016 -- One Mt. Pleasant eye doctor is warning patients about the danger blue light from common tech devices can cause to long-term vision health.

If you are like many people, you probably look at a smartphone screen, use a tablet device, watch television, or even sit in front of a computer as some point during your day. While few probably think much about it, this repeated exposure could be causing damage to your long-term vision, which is what one Mt. Pleasant vision provider is warning patients about.

“Most people do not know that these devices emit a special type of blue light,” explains H. Arnold Papernick, OD. “The light penetrates to the back of the eye—even through the eye’s natural filters. Studies have shown that this can cause serious effects when it comes to your vision over the long haul.”

Other common sources of blue light include LED bulbs, fluorescent lighting, and digital televisions.

Papernick goes on to explain that the majority of patients won’t notice a problem immediately, other than a bit of digital eye strain. Symptoms of digital eye strain include blurry vision, watery eyes, and even eye pain after several hours of staring at a tech device.

“These issues generally resolve themselves an hour or so after you’ve quit looking at the screen,” Papernick continues. “And that’s where the majority of the patients we see at the practice quit thinking about it. They just don’t realize the problem exposure to blue light can cause over weeks, months, and even years of repeated exposure.”

In addition, children have an especially high risk for blue light damage. As their vision continues to develop until their late teens, repeated exposure to computer screens, televisions, and tablet devices for homework, entertainment, and other reasons could pose a threat to their long-term eye health.

However, not all hope is lost for those who love their modern devices. To help reduce the effect of blue light, patients are advised to purchase special screen protectors. You can find these screen protectors at your local tech store or online such as Amazon.com. There are even special cell phone apps that work to reduce the amount of blue light emitted.

“It is advisable to not use a digital device within two hours of going to sleep, if there is no filter,” explains Papernick. “We can provide filters for your glasses to give you protection 100% of the time. A recent study shows participants who read on light-emitting devices took longer to fall asleep and had less REM sleep than those who read printed books.

For more information about the dangers of blue light, contact the practice directly at (724) 547-5711.

About H. Arnold Papernick, OD

H. Arnold Papernick, OD, is an eye doctor dedicated to helping patients in Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania, with their vision needs. His practice can be reached by calling (724) 547-5711.

H. Arnold Papernick, OD, (724) 547-5711