Our understanding of blue light’s effects on the human body is growing every day, as medical and scientific researchers continue to investigate this vast, complex subject. That’s a good thing, since most of us are being exposed to increasing amounts of it from both natural and artificial sources.

In the optical industry, the discussion of blue light naturally centers around its potentially harmful effects on the eye. However, there’s much more to blue light than meets the eye, as I learned when I attended the recent Blue Light Symposium in New York City. The two-day event, organized by the International Blue Light Society and sponsored by Jins, the Japanese optical retailer and eyeglass manufacturer, featured presentations by ophthalmologists, sleep specialists and researchers from universities in Japan, France and the U.S.

In his opening remarks, the symposium’s chairman, Kazuo Tsubota, president of the International Blue Light Society and a professor of ophthalmology at Keio University School of Medicine, Japan, said the advent of efficient LED lighting, electronic devices and an increase in late-night working hours is causing humans to be exposed to more artificial light than they have ever been before. Consequently, there is an increasing need to discuss and address issues surrounding the effects of artificial lights, particularly LEDs, on the human body, according to Professor Tsubota.

Other speakers at the Symposium discussed a wide range of topics, including the adverse health effects of nighttime lighting; sleep disorders; the effects of light on circadian regulation of melatonin and its consequences for human cancer signaling, metabolism and growth progression; retinal photo-damage; dry eye; and computer usage, eyestrain and eye protection.

Clearly, there’s a lot more that needs to be understood about blue light on many different levels. However, if you’d like to learn how to “Be the Blue Light Expert for Your Patients,” watch a video of my conversation with prominent optometrist Tommy Lim, OD, posted on Review of Optometric Business’ website reviewob.com.

Andrew Karp
Group Editor, Lenses and Technology
[email protected]