Every time you FaceTime your friends, watch your favorite shows on Netflix, or turn on your computer to do work, you’re exposed to blue light. Blue light is a visible light wave (yes, it’s actually blue!), and has more energy per photon of light than other colors in the visible spectrum. This is important to know because at high enough doses, blue light is more likely to cause damage when various cells in our body absorb it — and it can also make your eyes feel more irritated or tired than usual.
Because blue light has high energy, it can pass through the cornea and lens of your eyes, reaching the retina and causing diseases such as dry eye, cataract, and macular degeneration, a 2018 study in the International Journal of Ophthalmology explained. Research has also found that skin exposed to light rays emitted from electronic devices — for as short as an hour! — can damage the skin and potentially accelerate aging of the skin. Additionally, blue light stimulates your brain and inhibits melatonin secretion which can negatively affect the quality of your sleep.
As more things become digital — like your workouts — you’ll be spending more time looking at screens, so you’ve got to make sure you’re protecting your eyes and your skin. We’ve rounded up some of the best products that will help protect you from blue light rays, check them out ahead.