Understanding blue light: Making sense of the spectrum

Blue light, a part of the visible light spectrum, is naturally present in sunlight and is emitted by electronic devices such as computers, smartphones, tablets, and LED lighting. There has been significant discussion in the media about the importance of blue light for our circadian rhythm and mood regulation, and that excessive exposure could be linked to various eye problems. What do clinical optometrists and ophthalmologists need to know when discussing blue light–blocking ophthalmic lenses with our patients?

Your patient requests lenses with a “blue-blocking tint.” You’ve heard that blue light can be harmful, potentially contributing to the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and disrupting sleep. But you’ve also heard that exposure to full-spectrum lighting, including blue, can be protective for myopia progression in children.

So what do you order? What does the lens manufacturer provide? And how do you verify it?

To help answer some of these questions, the Accredited Standards Committee Z80, part of the American National Standards Institute, established an ad hoc subcommittee, the Spectral Bands Task Force (SBTF), in April 2021. After more than 2 years of work, discussion, and debate among leaders and experts from industry and academia, consensus was reached on the creation of a uniform and consistent classification system defining high-energy visible (HEV) radiation. Details of this system can be found in the final report of the SBTF, available for free from The Vision Council,¹ and in an April 2024 editorial published in Optometry and Vision Science…..

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Source: Optometry Times